Digital Healthy Diet Literacy and Self-Perceived Eating Behavior Change during COVID-19 Pandemic among Undergraduate Nursing and Medical Students: A Rapid Online Survey

Tuyen Van Duong, Khue M. Pham, Binh N. Do, Giang B. Kim, Hoa T. B. Dam, Vinh-Tuyen T. Le, Thao T. P. Nguyen, Hiep T. Nguyen, Trung T. Nguyen, Thuy T. Le, Hien T. T. Do and Shwu-Huey Yang
Additional contact information
Tuyen Van Duong: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110–31, Taiwan
Khue M. Pham: Faculty of Public Health, Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hai Phong 042–12, Vietnam
Binh N. Do: Department of Infectious Diseases, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi 121–08, Vietnam
Giang B. Kim: Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 115–20, Vietnam
Hoa T. B. Dam: Department of Psychiatry, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Nguyen 241–17, Vietnam
Vinh-Tuyen T. Le: Department of Pharmacognosy—Traditional Pharmacy—Pharmaceutical Botanic, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Can Tho 941–17, Vietnam
Thao T. P. Nguyen: Health Management Training Institute, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thua Thien Hue 491–20, Vietnam
Hiep T. Nguyen: Faculty of Public Health, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh 725–10, Vietnam
Trung T. Nguyen: School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 113–09, Vietnam
Thuy T. Le: Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, Da Nang 502–06, Vietnam
Hien T. T. Do: Faculty of Nursing, Hai Duong Medical Technical University, Hai Duong 031–17, Vietnam
Shwu-Huey Yang: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110–31, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: Assessing healthy diet literacy and eating behaviors is critical for identifying appropriate public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the psychometric properties of digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) and its association with eating behavior changes during the COVID-19 pandemic among nursing and medical students. We conducted a cross-sectional study from 7 April to 31 May 2020 at 10 public universities in Vietnam, in which 7616 undergraduate students aged 19–27 completed an online survey to assess socio-demographics, clinical parameters, health literacy (HL), DDL, and health-related behaviors. Four items of the DDL scale loaded on one component explained 71.32%, 67.12%, and 72.47% of the scale variances for the overall sample, nursing, and medical students, respectively. The DDL scale was found to have satisfactory item-scale convergent validity and criterion validity, high internal consistency reliability, and no floor or ceiling effect. Of all, 42.8% of students reported healthier eating behavior during the pandemic. A 10-index score increment of DDL was associated with 18%, 23%, and 17% increased likelihood of healthier eating behavior during the pandemic for the overall sample (OR, 1.18; 95%CI, 1.13, 1.24; p < 0.001), nursing students (OR, 1.23; 95%CI, 1.10, 1.35; p < 0.001), and medical students (OR, 1.17; 95%CI, 1.11, 1.24; p < 0.001), respectively. The DDL scale is a valid and reliable tool for the quick assessment of digital healthy diet literacy. Students with higher DDL scores had a higher likelihood of healthier eating behavior during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus; health literacy; digital healthy diet literacy; psychometric properties; eating behavior; nursing student; medical student; online survey; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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