EHealth literacy, internet use and health-related behaviour among health sciences students: a cross sectional study

Abstract

Background Health sciences students should have the necessary skills required to find health information from online resources. Objective To assess the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and its association with internet use for health-related purposes, self-perceived health and health-related behaviour. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 528 health sciences students. Sociodemographic data, questions related to internet use for health-related purposes, self-perceived health and health-related behaviour, and the eHEALS tool were collected. Results The overall mean eHEALS score was 3.19 ± 0.78. Students who consider access to health resources on the internet to be very important had the highest eHEALS scores (p = 0.015). There were significant differences between the participants’ perceptions of the usefulness of the internet with regard to making health decisions (p < 0.001), the accuracy of information on the internet (p = 0.001) and the eHEALS scores. Conclusions Health sciences students have a moderate level of eHealth literacy. Positive attitude towards internet use and positive self-perception of health are the most relevant factors associated with eHealth literacy. Impact statement As future healthcare providers, students need to develop eHealth literacy skills in order to find reliable health information. A positive attitude towards internet use and a positive self-perception of health are factors associated with eHealth literacy. Educators should promote training programmes that ensure students are acquiring suitable skills in eHealth literacy.