Digital Health Literacy and Information-Seeking in the Era of COVID-19: Gender Differences Emerged from a Florentine University Experience

Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, Veronica Gallinoro, Andrea Guida, Chiara Morittu (), Valerio Ferro Allodola, Vieri Lastrucci, Patrizio Zanobini, Orkan Okan, Kevin Dadaczynski and Chiara Lorini
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Guglielmo Bonaccorsi: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Veronica Gallinoro: School of Specialization in Public Health, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Andrea Guida: School of Specialization in Public Health, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Chiara Morittu: School of Specialization in Public Health, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Valerio Ferro Allodola: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Vieri Lastrucci: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Patrizio Zanobini: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy
Orkan Okan: Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University Munich, Uptown München-Campus D, Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62, 80092 Munich, Germany
Kevin Dadaczynski: Department of Health Sciences, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, 36037 Fulda, Germany
Chiara Lorini: Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Morgagni Blvd 48, 50134 Florence, Italy

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Gender appears to be a strong predictor of online health information-seeking behaviour (OHISB), which is related to Digital Health Literacy (DHL). Gender differences in OHISB have been studied in different countries with different results, but no studies have investigated gender-specific OHISB among University students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to investigate any gender differences in OHISB in the period between the first and second waves of the pandemic in Italian university students. A questionnaire developed by the global COVID-HL network, including existing and adapted validated scales and self-developed scales, was administered to 2996 University students in Florence. Gender differences were tested using the χ 2 test or the Mann–Whitney U test. Male students reported a higher score in DHL than females ( p < 0.001). However, female students seek COVID-19 information more often on different sources (for themselves and other people), on various topics, consider various aspects of information quality to be “very important’’ ( p < 0.05) and are more likely to be “often dissatisfied’’ or ”partly satisfied’’ with information ( p < 0.001). Our study confirmed gender as an important dimension to explain students’ OHISB differences, which could help institutions promote gender-specific education programmes and provide gender-oriented health information.

Keywords: gender differences; COVID-19; online health information seeking behaviour; Digital Health Literacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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