Health information seeking in the digital age: the association of social network and eHealth literacy in a state college
Arnold Jann Lacsao Cariaso, Artemio Jr Gonzales, Maria Luisa PulidoPurpose
Social networking platforms have become a major source of health information among young adults, influencing how they access, evaluate and utilize health-related content. As digital health information becomes increasingly available, understanding the relationship between social network usage (SNU) and eHealth literacy is essential for promoting informed health decision-making among university students.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study examined the association between SNU, eHealth literacy and health information seeking among 267 university students enrolled in a state college in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. Data were collected using a validated Social Networking Usage (SNU) questionnaire, eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and health information seeking.
Findings
Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation analysis were employed to analyze the data. Participants reported high levels of SNU (M = 3.79, SD = 0.66), with academic use emerging as the most frequent purpose. eHealth literacy was generally moderate to high (M = 3.93, SD = 0.53). Significant differences in SNU were observed according to sex, income class and self-rated health status (p < 0.05). eHealth literacy significantly varied by age, sex, year level and health status (p < 0.05). Analysis revealed significant positive associations between eHealth literacy and all dimensions of SNU (r = 0.348–0.465, p < 0.01). Overall SNU demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with eHealth literacy (r = 0.493, p < 0.01).
Research limitations/implications
Integrating digital health literacy initiatives into higher education may enhance students' ability to critically evaluate online health information and support informed health-related decisions.
Practical implications
The results support the development of targeted digital literacy and health information training programs to help students access, evaluate and use online health resources more effectively.
Social implications
The findings highlight that social networks are central to young adult's health information-seeking and that eHealth literacy is crucial for navigating online health resources effectively. The study recommends implementing targeted educational programs to enhance digital skills and promote equitable access to reliable online health information among students.
Originality/value
This study offers a unique contribution by simultaneously examining social media usage, eHealth literacy and online health information-seeking behavior among state college youth, providing context-specific evidence from a rural Philippine setting often underrepresented in digital health research.