Electronic health–literacy skills among nursing students

Figures & data

Table 1 Student characteristics regarding use of Internet

Characteristics	Category	Respondents, n (%)
Devices most used to access Internet	Laptops	33 (21.7)
	Smartphone	119 (78.3)
Frequency of Internet use for any purposes	Fewer than 3 times a day	13 (8.6)
	More than 3 times a day	129 (84.9)
	Sometimes	10 (6.57)
Frequency of Internet use for health purposes	Sometimes in a month	27 (17.8)
	Once a week	18 (11.8)
	Alternate days	37 (24.3)
	Fewer than 3 times a day	40 (26.3)
	More than 3 times a day	30 (19.7)
Usefulness of Internet in helping to make health decisions	Not useful at all	2 (1.3)
	Not useful	2 (1.3)
	Unsure	12 (7.9)
	Useful	99 (65.1)
	Very useful	37 (24.3)
Importance of Internet to access health resources	Not important at all	1 (0.7)
	Not important	5 (3.3)
	Unsure	7 (4.6)
	Important	94 (61.8)
	Very important	45 (29.6)
Perception of Internet skills	Poor	5 (3.3)
	Average	68 (44.7)
	Good	73 (48.0)
	Very good	6 (3.9)

Table 2 Self-reported eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS)

eHEALS statement	Strongly disagree, n (%)	Disagree, n (%)	Unsure, n (%)	Agree, n (%)	Strongly agree, n (%)	Median score (IQR)
I know what health resources are available on the Internet	1 (0.7)	5 (3.3)	32 (21.1)	105 (69.1)	9 (5.9)	4 (1)
I know where to find helpful health resources on the Internet	2 (1.3)	6 (3.9)	45 (29.6)	88 (57.9)	11 (7.2)	4 (1)
I know how to find helpful health resources on the Internet	1 (0.7)	7 (4.6)	37 (24.3)	91 (59.9)	16 (10.5)	4 (1)
I know how to use the health information I find on the Internet to help me	—	3 (2.0)	35 (23.0)	90 (59.2)	24 (15.8)	4 (1)
I know how to use the Internet to answer my questions about health	—	5 (3.3)	28 (18.4)	94 (61.8)	25 (16.4)	4 (0)
I have the skills I need to evaluate the health resources I find on the Internet	1 (0.7)	12 (7.9)	63 (41.4)	62 (40.8)	14 (9.2)	3.5 (1)
I can tell high-quality health resources from low-quality resources on the Internet	10 (6.6)	36 (23.7)	73 (48.0)	28 (18.4)	5 (3.3)	3 (1)
I feel confident in using information from the Internet to make health decisions	2 (1.3)	34 (22.4)	63 (41.4)	48 (31.6)	5 (3.3)	3 (1)

Table 3 Factors associated with eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS)

Characteristics	Number, n (%)	Statistics (Kruskal–Wallis H)	eHEALS significance	Mean rank
Perceived level of Internet skills
Poor	5 (3.29)	15.231	0.002	19.50
Average	68 (44.74)			75.41
Good	73 (48.02)			78.58
Very good	6 (3.95)			111.08
Perceived importance of Internet
Not important at all	1 (0.65)	13.220	0.010	103.00
Not important	5 (3.28)			29.60
Unsure	7 (4.60)			46.57
Important	94 (61.84)			77.27
Very important	45 (29.60)			84.17
Perceived usefulness of Internet
Not useful at all	2 (1.31)	11.929	0.018	24.00
Not useful	2 (1.31)			63.50
Unsure	12 (7.89)			49.83
Useful	99 (65.13)			77.06
Very useful	37 (24.34)			87.20
Frequency of using Internet for health-related purposes
Sometimes in a month	27 (17.76)	15.153	<0.001	54.35
Once a week	18 (11.84)			67.33
Alternate days	37 (24.34)			91.47
Fewer than 3 times a day	40 (26.31)			79.93
More than 3 times a day	30 (19.74)			78.90