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The Associations between Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health Behaviors among College Students

Author

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  • Chiao Ling Huang

    (Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Information Technology, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Shu-Ching Yang

    (Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan)

  • Chia-Hsun Chiang

    (Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan)

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations between individual factors, electronic health (eHealth) literacy, dietary behaviors, and exercise habits in college students, as well as the moderating effect of gender on the above target behaviors. Methods: A pen-and-paper questionnaire with a stratified sampling method was used to collect data, and at least 100 students from each stratum were determined to be used for the official sample in this study. Finally, 674 students completed the survey. Results and Conclusions: Chi-square test results demonstrated that genders had dissimilar dietary supplement use and subjective health status. Further analyses indicated females had a higher likelihood of taking dietary supplements and poorer subjective health statuses. The t -test results indicated that the functional eHealth literacy, dietary behaviors, and exercise habits of genders were different, and the mean scores showed that males had higher functional eHealth literacy, healthier dietary behaviors, and higher exercise involvement than females. Regression analyses showed that students who were male, took dietary supplements, placed the utmost importance on health, and had high critical eHealth literacy tended to possess healthy dietary behaviors. Students who were male and had good subjective health statuses tended to have higher exercise involvement. Specifically, the critical eHealth literacy changed dietary behaviors less effectively for women than for men, and the subjective health status changed exercise habits less effectively for women than for men. Therefore, when designing the diet and exercise intervention programs, gender-specific programs rather than generic programs should be given priority to develop.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiao Ling Huang & Shu-Ching Yang & Chia-Hsun Chiang, 2020. "The Associations between Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health Behaviors among College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-13, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:2108-:d:335566
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nutbeam, Don, 2008. "The evolving concept of health literacy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 2072-2078, December.
    2. Jayanta Kumar Bora & Nandita Saikia, 2015. "Gender Differentials in Self-Rated Health and Self-Reported Disability among Adults in India," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Walid EL-Ansari & Christiane Stock, 2016. "Gender Differences in Self-Rated Health among University Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Do Confounding Variables Matter?," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(11), pages 168-168, November.
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    1. Ha T. T. Tran & Minh H. Nguyen & Thu T. M. Pham & Giang B. Kim & Hiep T. Nguyen & Ngoc-Minh Nguyen & Hoa T. B. Dam & Thai H. Duong & Yen H. Nguyen & Thao T. Do & Thao T. P. Nguyen & Thuy T. Le & Hien , 2022. "Predictors of eHealth Literacy and Its Associations with Preventive Behaviors, Fear of COVID-19, Anxiety, and Depression among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Luyao Xie & Edmund W. J. Lee & Vivian W. I. Fong & Kam-Hei Hui & Meiqi Xin & Phoenix K. H. Mo, 2022. "Perceived Information Distortion about COVID-19 Vaccination and Addictive Social Media Use among Social Media Users in Hong Kong: The Moderating Roles of Functional Literacy and Critical Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Miyoung Roh & Yoonkyung Won, 2023. "Impact of Online-Delivered eHealth Literacy Intervention on eHealth Literacy and Health Behavior Outcomes among Female College Students during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-13, January.
    4. Hanan Alfawaz & Nasiruddin Khan & Alwateen Almarshad & Kaiser Wani & Muneerah A. Aljumah & Malak Nawaz Khan Khattak & Nasser M. Al-Daghri, 2020. "The Prevalence and Awareness Concerning Dietary Supplement Use among Saudi Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-14, May.

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