EHealth literacy among undergraduate nursing students

Abstract

BackgroundThe Internet has become a major source of health related information. Nursing students, as future healthcare providers, should be skilled in locating, using and evaluating online health information. AimThe main purpose of this study was to assess eHealth literacy among nursing students in Jordan, as well as to explore factors associated with eHealth literacy. MethodsA descriptive cross sectional survey was conducted in two universities in Jordan, one public and one private. A total of 541 students completed the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS). Some additional personal and demographical variables were collected to explore their relation to eHealth literacy. ResultsStudents have a moderate self-perceived level of eHealth literacy (M=3.62, SD=0.58). They are aware of the available online health resources and know how to search, locate, and use these resources. Yet, they lack skills to evaluate them and cannot differentiate between high and low quality resources. Factors that are related to eHealth literacy include type of university, type of student admission, academic level, students' internet skills, and their perception of the usefulness and importance of the internet. On the other hand, age, gender, grade point average (GPA), and frequency of internet use were found not to significantly affect eHealth literacy. ConclusionThis study represents a baseline reference for eHealth literacy in Jordan. Students have some of the necessary skills, while others still need to be improved. Nursing educators and administrators should incorporate eHealth literacy skills into the curriculum.