EHealth Literacy and Beliefs About Medicines Among Taiwanese College Students: Cross-sectional Study

Overview

Journal JMIR Med Inform

Publisher JMIR Publications

Specialty Medical Informatics

Date 2021 Dec 1

PMID 34851301

Citations 4

Authors

Chiao Ling Huang

Chia-Hsun Chiang

Shu Ching Yang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Good eHealth literacy and correct beliefs about medicines are beneficial for making good health care decisions and may further influence an individual's quality of life. However, few studies have discussed these two factors simultaneously. Moreover, gender differences are associated with health literacy and beliefs about medicines. Therefore, it is important to examine the multiple relationships between college students' eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines, as well as gender differences.

Objective: This study aims to (1) examine the multiple relationships between eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines and (2) analyze gender differences in eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines with Taiwanese college students.

Methods: We used a paper-and-pencil questionnaire that included age, gender, 3-level eHealth literacy, and beliefs about medicines to collect data. In total, 475 data points were obtained and analyzed through independent t tests and canonical correlation analyses.

Results: The t test (t=3.73; P<.001; t=-2.10; P=.04) showed that women had lower functional eHealth literacy and more specific concerns about medicines than men. Canonical correlation analyses indicated that the first and second canonical correlation coefficients between eHealth literacy and beliefs about medicines reached a significant level, implying that a multivariate relationship indeed existed.

Conclusions: These findings reveal that women in Taiwan have lower functional eHealth literacy and stronger concerns about medicines than men. In addition, students with higher eHealth literacy have more positive perceptions of and beliefs about medicines.

Citing Articles

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Relationships Among eHealth Literacy, Physical Literacy, and Physical Activity in Chinese University Students: Cross-Sectional Study.

Jiang S, Ng J, Choi S, Ha A J Med Internet Res. 2024; 26:e56386.

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Maru Wubante S, Tegegne M, Sharew Melaku M, Kalayou M, Tarekegn Y, Tsega S PLoS One. 2023; 18(3):e0282195.

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Association of eHealth Literacy with Health Promotion Behaviors of Community-Dwelling Older People: The Chain Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and Self-Care Ability.

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