Adolescent pursuit of health information online during the COVID-19 pandemic: The roles played by eHealth literacy and psychological distress

Abstract

COVID-19 has led to an increase in mental health problems for adolescents. In this study, we examined the factors related to the eHealth literacy of adolescents and how that impacted their pursuit of health information and mental health information online during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed data from the 2020 Taiwan Communication Survey, which involved a total of 1,250 national representative adolescents who completed an online questionnaire. The results showed that two-thirds of adolescents reported searching for health information online, and about half of them reported searching for mental health information online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multivariate analysis results indicated that adolescents who spent more time learning online, had higher levels of bonding social capital and self-determination, and had higher levels of parental active internet mediation were more likely to have higher levels of eHealth literacy. In addition, multivariate analysis results showed that adolescents who had higher levels of eHealth literacy and had higher depression and anxiety were more likely to seek health information and mental health information online. In conclusion, the levels of eHealth literacy and psychological distress of adolescents played a crucial role in their pursuit of health information and mental health information online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Impact statementAdolescents are showing an increase in vulnerability to mental health illness, and studies have documented an increase in psychological distress among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents spent more time online, and their pursuit of mental health information online has facilitated their autonomy to control their help-seeking journey and allow them to connect with others with more privacy and less stigma. The abundance of misinformation online, however, particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak, has enhanced the need for eHealth literacy in seeking health information online, appraising health information, making healthy decisions and implementing protective behaviors. This study examined the role of factors such as self-determination, eHealth literacy and psychological distress in determining adolescents' pursuit of health / mental health information online during the COVID-19 pandemic.