Association of Digital Health Literacy with Future Anxiety as Mediated by Information Satisfaction and Fear of COVID-19: A Pathway Analysis among Taiwanese Students

Sheng-Chih Chen, Le Duc Huy, Cheng-Yu Lin, Chih-Feng Lai, Nhi Thi Hong Nguyen, Nhi Y. Hoang, Thao T. P. Nguyen, Loan T. Dang, Nguyen L. T. Truong, Tan N. Phan and Tuyen Van Duong ()
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Sheng-Chih Chen: Graduate Program of Digital Content and Technologies, College of Communication, National Chengchi University, Taipei 116-05, Taiwan
Le Duc Huy: Health Personnel Training Institute, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue 491-20, Vietnam
Cheng-Yu Lin: Department of Radio, Television & Film, Shih Hsin University, Taipei 116-42, Taiwan
Chih-Feng Lai: Department of Education, National Taichung University of Education, Taichung 403-06, Taiwan
Nhi Thi Hong Nguyen: Health Personnel Training Institute, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue 491-20, Vietnam
Nhi Y. Hoang: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110-31, Taiwan
Thao T. P. Nguyen: Institute for Community Health Research, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue 491-20, Vietnam
Loan T. Dang: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 115-20, Vietnam
Nguyen L. T. Truong: Pharmacy Department, School of Medicine, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City 700-00, Vietnam
Tan N. Phan: Department of Tropical Diseases, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City 727-13, Vietnam
Tuyen Van Duong: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110-31, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-16

Abstract: Digital Health Literacy (DHL) helps online users with navigating the infodemic and co-existing conspiracy beliefs to avoid mental distress and maintain well-being. We aimed to investigate the association between DHL and future anxiety (FA); and examine the potential mediation roles of information satisfaction and fear of COVID-19 (F-CoV). A web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1631 Taiwanese university students aged 18 years and above from June 2021 to March 2022. Data collected were socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, social status, university location), information satisfaction, F-CoV, DHL and FA (using Future Dark scale). The linear regression model was used to explore factors associated with FA. The pathway analysis was further used to evaluate the direct and indirect relationship between DHL and FA. A higher score of DHL (B = −0.21; 95% CI, −0.37, −0.06; p = 0.006), and information satisfaction (B = −0.16; 95% CI, −0.24, −0.08; p < 0.001) were associated with a lower FA score, whereas a higher F-CoV score was associated with a higher FA score (B = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.36, 0.50; p < 0.001). DHL showed the direct impact (B = −0.1; 95% CI, −0.17, −0.04; p = 0.002) and indirect impact on FA as mediated by information satisfaction (B = −0.04; 95% CI, −0.06, −0.01; p = 0.002) and F-CoV (B = −0.06, 95% CI, −0.08, −0.04; p < 0.001). Strategic approaches to promote DHL, information satisfaction, lower F-CoV are suggested to reduce FA among students.

Keywords: digital health literacy; fear; COVID-19; social status; future anxiety; information satisfaction; pathway analysis; students; Taiwan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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