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

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 (t473=3.73; P<.001; t473=–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.

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

“…Huang, C.L. et al showed that students with higher eHealth literacy had more positive views and beliefs about medication management [53]. Kyoung A Kim et al found that eHealth literacy was an important influence on self-efficacy when they investigated how type 2 diabetes patients understood and used online health information related to health promotion behavior [54].…”

eHealth literacy and its associated factors in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

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“…Studies show that e-health literacy is considered essential for improving healthcare delivery and quality of care as well as empowering caregivers and patients to influence control care decisions [2][3][4]6]. Although eHealth has the potential to revolutionize medical and public health practice, several organizational, cultural, and human resource reforms are still required for the widespread adoption of eHealth techniques for finding high-quality health information [3].…”

“…Poor eHealth literacy has been associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, according to various studies, including trouble navigating the healthcare system, inaccurate or sparse medical history reports, missed doctor appointments, incorrect medication uses in terms of timing or dosage, decreased rates of adherence to chronic illness regimens, and an increased risk of hospitalization [3,5].…”

Associations and gender differences between OHI-seeking behaviors and eHealth literacy among Chinese university students

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