The Impact of Individuals' Attitudes Towards Social Media and Frequency of Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak of e-Health Literacy and COVID-19 Preventive Health Behavior

Abstract

Objectives: The study focused on the relationship of individuals’ attitudes towards the COVID-19 outbreak in social media networks and the frequency of social media use associated with the outbreak with e-health literacy and COVID-19 preventive health behavior. Methods: The data of the study were obtained by applying the survey method. The data were collected using the convenience sampling technique. Within the scope of the study, 773 survey data were obtained. A mediation analysis using multiple regression was performed for the analysis of the data. Results: The results obtained in the analysis, the attitudes of individuals towards social media during the epidemic has a significant and positive predictive effect on e-health literacy (R2: 0.1468, F: 133.223, p <0.05) and preventive health behavior (R2: 0.0489, F: 39.621, p <0.05). Conclusion: In the analysis conducted, the attitudes towards social media of individuals has significant and positive effects on e-health literacy and preventive COVID-19 health behavior. In addition, it was concluded that individuals’ frequency of social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak had a positive and significant relationship with e-health literacy and COVID-19 preventive health behavior.