ABSTRACT
Designers must take appropriate care that health information is presented in a manner consistent with the abilities of the information seeker. This is because, on one hand, health professionals hope to effectively inform, teach, and foster the acquisition of health-promoting behaviors using the Web as a dissemination vehicle. The user of Web-based health information, on the other hand, seeks accessible and authoritative sources of knowledge so as to gain a sense of empowerment and active participation in his or her health care. Thus, useful health information is designed to maximize the likelihood that it can be effectively sensed, perceived, understood, and consequently learned and applied.
