Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students
Abstract This study examines the impact of digital health literacy (DHL) on health self-management behaviors among college students. It determines whether self-efficacy serves as a mediator in the relationship between DHL and health self-management behaviors. A cross-sectional study was conducted am...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12726-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849343514032209920 |
|---|---|
| author | Yalan Zhou Jiayue Xu Renying Wang Xueling Guan |
| author_facet | Yalan Zhou Jiayue Xu Renying Wang Xueling Guan |
| author_sort | Yalan Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study examines the impact of digital health literacy (DHL) on health self-management behaviors among college students. It determines whether self-efficacy serves as a mediator in the relationship between DHL and health self-management behaviors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 741 college students selected from five universities in Jiangsu Province, China. Standardized scales were used to collect data on digital health literacy (eHEALS), self-efficacy (GSES), and health self-management behaviors (SRAS). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0, Mplus 7.4, and the PROCESS macro. The study finds that college students’ DHL, self-efficacy, and health self-management were at moderate to high levels. With correlation values ranging from 0.468 to 0.624 (P < 0.01), the study found a positive relationship between DHL, self-efficacy, and health self-management. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that health self-assessment status, DHL, and self-efficacy significantly influenced health self-management (F = 123.734, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.542). With an indirect impact value of 0.139 (95% bootstrap CI 0.105 to 0.177), self-efficacy plays a crucial mediating role in the relationship between DHL and health self-management. It is recommended that educational institutions cultivate DHL and self-efficacy among college students to promote effective health self-management. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1ecf8d22504a4b70b43ff2a89a4acdf4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-1ecf8d22504a4b70b43ff2a89a4acdf42025-08-20T03:42:57ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-12726-9Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college studentsYalan Zhou0Jiayue Xu1Renying Wang2Xueling Guan3School of Management, Xuzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Xuzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Xuzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Management, Xuzhou Medical UniversityAbstract This study examines the impact of digital health literacy (DHL) on health self-management behaviors among college students. It determines whether self-efficacy serves as a mediator in the relationship between DHL and health self-management behaviors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 741 college students selected from five universities in Jiangsu Province, China. Standardized scales were used to collect data on digital health literacy (eHEALS), self-efficacy (GSES), and health self-management behaviors (SRAS). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0, Mplus 7.4, and the PROCESS macro. The study finds that college students’ DHL, self-efficacy, and health self-management were at moderate to high levels. With correlation values ranging from 0.468 to 0.624 (P < 0.01), the study found a positive relationship between DHL, self-efficacy, and health self-management. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that health self-assessment status, DHL, and self-efficacy significantly influenced health self-management (F = 123.734, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.542). With an indirect impact value of 0.139 (95% bootstrap CI 0.105 to 0.177), self-efficacy plays a crucial mediating role in the relationship between DHL and health self-management. It is recommended that educational institutions cultivate DHL and self-efficacy among college students to promote effective health self-management.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12726-9Digital health literacySelf-efficacyHealth self-managementMediating effectCollege students |
| spellingShingle | Yalan Zhou Jiayue Xu Renying Wang Xueling Guan Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students Scientific Reports Digital health literacy Self-efficacy Health self-management Mediating effect College students |
| title | Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students |
| title_full | Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students |
| title_fullStr | Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students |
| title_short | Understanding how digital health literacy affects health self-management behaviors: The mediating role of self-efficacy in college students |
| title_sort | understanding how digital health literacy affects health self management behaviors the mediating role of self efficacy in college students |
| topic | Digital health literacy Self-efficacy Health self-management Mediating effect College students |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12726-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yalanzhou understandinghowdigitalhealthliteracyaffectshealthselfmanagementbehaviorsthemediatingroleofselfefficacyincollegestudents AT jiayuexu understandinghowdigitalhealthliteracyaffectshealthselfmanagementbehaviorsthemediatingroleofselfefficacyincollegestudents AT renyingwang understandinghowdigitalhealthliteracyaffectshealthselfmanagementbehaviorsthemediatingroleofselfefficacyincollegestudents AT xuelingguan understandinghowdigitalhealthliteracyaffectshealthselfmanagementbehaviorsthemediatingroleofselfefficacyincollegestudents |