Abstract Preview
Abstract
|
Title Applying the integrative model of eHealth use to understand online health behaviors of adults in Singapore |
|
Type Oral Presentation Only |
|
Theme Global Health Literacy Summit 2021 |
|
Topic Digital and technological health literacy |
Authors
|
Main Author Zoe Ong1 2 |
|
Presenting Author Zoe Ong1 2 |
|
Co-Author Chitra Panchapakesan1 May Lwin1 |
Authors' Institution
|
Department / Institution / Country Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information / Nanyang Technological University / Singapore1 Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme / Nanyang Technological University / Singapore2 |
|
Abstract Content (abstracts should be written in Size 11 font, Arial font style) Background: Existing literature on online health behaviors have mainly focused on information seeking and evaluation whereas online health information sharing is still understudied. Objective: This study aims to use the Integrative Model of eHealth Use (IMeHU) as a theoretical framework to examine the relationship between individual characteristics and online health behaviors such as health information seeking, evaluation & sharing. Method: An online survey was conducted amongst nationally representative Internet panel of users living in Singapore, aged 21 to 55 years old (N = 710). The effects of demographic factors (block 1; age, gender, education), personality (block 2; health consciousness, fatalism, self-confidence in health maintenance) and eHealth literacy (block 3) on online health behaviors (information seeking, evaluation and sharing) were examined using hierarchical regression. Results: Factors examined accounted for a substantial amount of variance in online health information seeking (22.0%), evaluation (29.2%), and sharing (14.1%). The greatest R2 change for online health information seeking (9.9%) and sharing (7.6%) derived from personality variables whereas eHealth literacy had the greatest influence on online health information evaluation (13%). The introduction of eHealth literacy in Block 3 resulted in age and health consciousness becoming non-significant for online health information seeking and evaluation, and health consciousness and self-confidence in health maintenance becoming non-significant for online health information sharing. This suggests that eHealth literacy is a significant mediator of these independent variables. Among the factors that were found to be significant in Block 3, fatalism and eHealth literacy had a positive association with all three online health behaviors. Education had a significant positive association with online health information seeking and evaluation, while self-confidence in health maintenance had a significant negative association. Males were more likely to share health information online, whereas older individuals were less likely to evaluate health information found online. Conclusions: This study adds to knowledge about predictors of online health behaviors in Singapore. Our findings also corroborates with other studies regarding the role of eHealth literacy as a mediator of health behaviors. Further qualitative studies should be conducted to examine the counterintuitive association between fatalism and online health behaviors. |
Requires Audio or Video system for Presentation?: Yes
