TY - JOUR

T1 - Infodemic Preparedness and COVID-19

T2 - Searching about Public Health and Social Measures Is Associated with Digital Health Literacy in University Students

AU - Rosário, Rafaela

AU - Fronteira, Inês

AU - Martins, Maria R.O.

AU - Augusto, Cláudia

AU - Silva, Maria José

AU - Messer, Melanie

AU - Martins, Silvana

AU - Duarte, Ana

AU - Ramos, Neida

AU - Rathmann, Katharina

AU - Okan, Orkan

AU - Dadaczynski, Kevin

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.

PY - 2022/10/1

Y1 - 2022/10/1

N2 - We aimed to evaluate the associations between information searching about public health and social measures (PHSM) and university students’ digital health literacy (DHL) related to the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 3,084 Portuguese university students (75.7% females), with an average age of 24.2 (SD = 7.5). Sociodemographic data, DHL questionnaire and online information concerning PHSM were gathered. Cox proportional hazards models were performed. Results: Students who searched for personal protective measures achieved in shorter time sufficient “evaluating reliability” (HR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1; 1.7) and “determining relevance” (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2; 1.8). Searching for surveillance and response measures was associated with sufficient “determining relevance” (HR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1; 1.9). Finally, those students who searched for environmental, economic and psychosocial measures achieved in shorter time “determining relevance” (HR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.0; 1.4). Conclusions: Searching for PHSM was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of achieving sufficient DHL subscales in a shorter time. Further studies are needed, including developing strategies to increase the availability of high-quality information concerning public health and social measures and to improve (digital) health literacy.

AB - We aimed to evaluate the associations between information searching about public health and social measures (PHSM) and university students’ digital health literacy (DHL) related to the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 3,084 Portuguese university students (75.7% females), with an average age of 24.2 (SD = 7.5). Sociodemographic data, DHL questionnaire and online information concerning PHSM were gathered. Cox proportional hazards models were performed. Results: Students who searched for personal protective measures achieved in shorter time sufficient “evaluating reliability” (HR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1; 1.7) and “determining relevance” (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2; 1.8). Searching for surveillance and response measures was associated with sufficient “determining relevance” (HR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1; 1.9). Finally, those students who searched for environmental, economic and psychosocial measures achieved in shorter time “determining relevance” (HR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.0; 1.4). Conclusions: Searching for PHSM was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of achieving sufficient DHL subscales in a shorter time. Further studies are needed, including developing strategies to increase the availability of high-quality information concerning public health and social measures and to improve (digital) health literacy.

KW - COVID-19

KW - digital health literacy

KW - infodemic

KW - public health and social measures

KW - Health sciences

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139829183&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/c1db7ed9-8205-3a45-b50c-c85df45fc1e6/

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph191912320

DO - 10.3390/ijerph191912320

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 36231618

AN - SCOPUS:85139829183

VL - 19

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1661-7827

IS - 19

M1 - 12320

ER -