Undergraduate Students’ Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15512201
AutoresWan-Chen Hsu (0009-0003-1258-5501, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, autor correspondente)
Ano2021
Volume18
Fascículo24
Páginas13250-13250
Data de publicação2021-12-16
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
EditoraMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph182413250
PMID34948859
OpenAlexW4200540458
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas6
Referências citadas19

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the world, the amount of health-related information available has skyrocketed. Individuals can easily access health information through the internet, which may influence their thoughts or behavior, causing potential technological risks that may affect their lives. This study examined the online health information-seeking behavior of undergraduate students. Taking health issues as a guiding framework, content analysis was adopted to assess participants' online health information-seeking behavior using a computer screen recording software, and coding analysis was conducted. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic with a formal sample of 101 participants. In terms of online health information-seeking behavior, 59% of the study participants used nouns as keywords, only 27% used Boolean logic retrieval techniques, 81% paid attention to the date of the data, and 85% did not consider the author's professionalism. The results indicate that health information-seeking behavior and outcome judgments may be a missing piece of the puzzle in higher education. Consequently, the development of online health information-seeking skills through programs for undergraduate students is suggested to ensure that online readers have access to appropriate health information

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Betacoronavirus · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Medical education · Outbreak · Pandemic · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Virology