Luo Yi Fang, Yang Shu Ching, Chen An-Sing, Chiang Chia-Hsun
Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Department of Finance, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan.
J Med Internet Res. 2018 Oct 25;20(10):e283. doi: 10.2196/jmir.8897.
Electronic health (eHealth) literacy has become an important topic in health fields. Studies have found that individuals with higher eHealth literacy are more likely to use preventive care services and to have effective interactions with their physicians. In addition, previous studies have revealed a gender difference in the utilization of physician access and outpatient services. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the effect of the three levels of eHealth literacy (functional, interactive, and critical levels) on the four aspects of health services utilization (type, site, purpose, and time interval). It is unclear whether the associations between these three levels of eHealth literacy and the four aspects of health services utilization among college students are positive or negative.
The objective of this study was to investigate the associations among gender, eHealth literacy, and health services utilization.
We used the eHealth Literacy Scale, a 12-item instrument designed to measure college students' functional, interactive, and critical eHealth literacy, and the Health Services Utilization Scale, which is a 10-item instrument developed to measure the four aspects of health services utilization by college students. A nationally representative sample of 489 college students in Taiwan was surveyed. We conducted multiple regression analysis to examine the associations among gender, eHealth literacy, and health services utilization.
The study found that being female was negatively related to the purpose aspect of health services utilization (t=-2.85, P<.01). However, the R value of gender on the purpose aspect was low enough to be ignored. Critical (t=2.98-4.23, P<.01) and interactive eHealth literacy (t=2.43-2.89, P<.05) were related to three aspects of the health services utilization, and functional eHealth literacy was related to the purpose aspect (t=-4.99, P<.001).
This study showed that Taiwanese college students with interactive eHealth literacy were more likely to have a higher rate of outpatient care use. Moreover, Taiwanese college students with critical eHealth literacy were more likely to make full use of health services than those with functional eHealth literacy. Finally, the educated and age-restricted sample may attenuate gender disparities in health services utilization among Taiwanese college students.
电子健康素养已成为健康领域的一个重要话题。研究发现，电子健康素养较高的个体更有可能使用预防保健服务，并与医生进行有效的互动。此外，先前的研究揭示了在获取医生服务和门诊服务的利用方面存在性别差异。然而，很少有研究探讨电子健康素养的三个水平（功能、互动和批判性水平）对健康服务利用的四个方面（类型、地点、目的和时间间隔）的影响。目前尚不清楚大学生中这三个电子健康素养水平与健康服务利用的四个方面之间的关联是正相关还是负相关。
本研究的目的是调查性别、电子健康素养和健康服务利用之间的关联。
我们使用了电子健康素养量表（一种旨在测量大学生功能、互动和批判性电子健康素养的12项工具）以及健康服务利用量表（一种为测量大学生健康服务利用的四个方面而开发的10项工具）。对台湾489名具有全国代表性的大学生样本进行了调查。我们进行了多元回归分析，以检验性别、电子健康素养和健康服务利用之间的关联。
研究发现，女性与健康服务利用的目的方面呈负相关（t=-2.85，P<.01）。然而，性别在目的方面的R值低到可以忽略不计。批判性电子健康素养（t=2.98-4.23，P<.01）和互动性电子健康素养（t=2.43-2.89，P<.05）与健康服务利用的三个方面相关，而功能性电子健康素养与目的方面相关（t=-4.99，P<.001）。
本研究表明，具有互动性电子健康素养的台湾大学生更有可能有较高的门诊护理使用率。此外，具有批判性电子健康素养的台湾大学生比具有功能性电子健康素养的大学生更有可能充分利用健康服务。最后，受过教育且有年龄限制的样本可能会减弱台湾大学生在健康服务利用方面的性别差异。
