Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia
Background: The Internet has become a pivotal resource for accessing health information globally, offering unprecedented convenience and breadth of resources. This cross-sectional study examines the implications of Internet use for health information seeking and the influencing factors among undergr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024175767 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841533286247038976 |
|---|---|
| author | Alex Ayenew Chereka Fikadu Wake Butta Addisalem Workie Demsash Sisay Yitayh Kassie Adamu Ambachew Shibabaw Abiy Tasew Dubale Geleta Nenko Dube Mekonnen Kenate Hunde Wubalem Dilie Limeneh Amare Dagnew Fentahun Milkias Dugassa Emanu Mekashaw Tareke Abebe Gemeda Wakgari Kitil |
| author_facet | Alex Ayenew Chereka Fikadu Wake Butta Addisalem Workie Demsash Sisay Yitayh Kassie Adamu Ambachew Shibabaw Abiy Tasew Dubale Geleta Nenko Dube Mekonnen Kenate Hunde Wubalem Dilie Limeneh Amare Dagnew Fentahun Milkias Dugassa Emanu Mekashaw Tareke Abebe Gemeda Wakgari Kitil |
| author_sort | Alex Ayenew Chereka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The Internet has become a pivotal resource for accessing health information globally, offering unprecedented convenience and breadth of resources. This cross-sectional study examines the implications of Internet use for health information seeking and the influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 10 to December 10, 2023. The study enrolled 423 students. Data were collected using a pretested and structured self-administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were performed using EpiData V4.6 and STATA V17, respectively. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the outcome variable. Statistical significance was determined using a P-value of less than 0.05. Result: A total of 423 respondents participated in this study, resulting in a 100 % response rate. Among them, 67.4 % (95 % CI: 63.0%–72.0 %) reported using the Internet for health purposes. Factors significantly associated with this usage included being a third-year student or above (AOR = 2.33, 95 % CI: 1.36–3.99), owning a smartphone (AOR = 2.41, 95 % CI: 1.14–5.10), having good awareness (AOR = 2.81, 95 % CI: 1.55–5.09), holding a favorable attitude (AOR = 9.58, 95 % CI: 5.10–18.00), and possessing adequate e-health literacy (AOR = 5.25, 95 % CI: 2.89–9.46). Conclusion: This study underscores the internet's primary role in accessing information on diseases, treatments, healthy lifestyles, and prevention. Key factors such as e-health literacy, attitude, awareness, smartphone usage, and study timing significantly influence this trend. Understanding these factors is vital for optimizing internet resources for health information dissemination. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1ab8c37b805749f284fe02e7d75d2aa4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj-art-1ab8c37b805749f284fe02e7d75d2aa42025-01-17T04:51:36ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-01-01111e41545Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest EthiopiaAlex Ayenew Chereka0Fikadu Wake Butta1Addisalem Workie Demsash2Sisay Yitayh Kassie3Adamu Ambachew Shibabaw4Abiy Tasew Dubale5Geleta Nenko Dube6Mekonnen Kenate Hunde7Wubalem Dilie Limeneh8Amare Dagnew Fentahun9Milkias Dugassa Emanu10Mekashaw Tareke Abebe11Gemeda Wakgari Kitil12Department of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia; Corresponding author.Department of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Lifelong Learning & Community Development, College of Education and Behavioral Science, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Tourism Management, College of Business and Economics, Injibara University, EthiopiaDepartment of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Injibara University, EthiopiaDepartment of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaDepartment of Accounting and Finance, College of Business and Economics, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaDepartment of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, EthiopiaBackground: The Internet has become a pivotal resource for accessing health information globally, offering unprecedented convenience and breadth of resources. This cross-sectional study examines the implications of Internet use for health information seeking and the influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 10 to December 10, 2023. The study enrolled 423 students. Data were collected using a pretested and structured self-administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were performed using EpiData V4.6 and STATA V17, respectively. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the outcome variable. Statistical significance was determined using a P-value of less than 0.05. Result: A total of 423 respondents participated in this study, resulting in a 100 % response rate. Among them, 67.4 % (95 % CI: 63.0%–72.0 %) reported using the Internet for health purposes. Factors significantly associated with this usage included being a third-year student or above (AOR = 2.33, 95 % CI: 1.36–3.99), owning a smartphone (AOR = 2.41, 95 % CI: 1.14–5.10), having good awareness (AOR = 2.81, 95 % CI: 1.55–5.09), holding a favorable attitude (AOR = 9.58, 95 % CI: 5.10–18.00), and possessing adequate e-health literacy (AOR = 5.25, 95 % CI: 2.89–9.46). Conclusion: This study underscores the internet's primary role in accessing information on diseases, treatments, healthy lifestyles, and prevention. Key factors such as e-health literacy, attitude, awareness, smartphone usage, and study timing significantly influence this trend. Understanding these factors is vital for optimizing internet resources for health information dissemination.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024175767Internet useHealth informationStudentUtilizationEthiopia |
| spellingShingle | Alex Ayenew Chereka Fikadu Wake Butta Addisalem Workie Demsash Sisay Yitayh Kassie Adamu Ambachew Shibabaw Abiy Tasew Dubale Geleta Nenko Dube Mekonnen Kenate Hunde Wubalem Dilie Limeneh Amare Dagnew Fentahun Milkias Dugassa Emanu Mekashaw Tareke Abebe Gemeda Wakgari Kitil Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia Heliyon Internet use Health information Student Utilization Ethiopia |
| title | Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_full | Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_short | Examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in Southwest Ethiopia |
| title_sort | examining internet use for health information seeking and influencing factors among undergraduate health science students in southwest ethiopia |
| topic | Internet use Health information Student Utilization Ethiopia |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024175767 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexayenewchereka examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT fikaduwakebutta examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT addisalemworkiedemsash examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT sisayyitayhkassie examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT adamuambachewshibabaw examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT abiytasewdubale examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT geletanenkodube examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT mekonnenkenatehunde examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT wubalemdilielimeneh examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT amaredagnewfentahun examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT milkiasdugassaemanu examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT mekashawtarekeabebe examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia AT gemedawakgarikitil examininginternetuseforhealthinformationseekingandinfluencingfactorsamongundergraduatehealthsciencestudentsinsouthwestethiopia |