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Article

Undergraduate Students’ Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Center for Teaching & Learning Development, National Kaohsiung University of Sciences and Technology, No. 1, University Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413250
Submission received: 28 October 2021 / Revised: 7 December 2021 / Accepted: 13 December 2021 / Published: 16 December 2021

Abstract

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the world, the amount of health-related information available has skyrocketed. Individuals can easily access health information through the internet, which may influence their thoughts or behavior, causing potential technological risks that may affect their lives. This study examined the online health information-seeking behavior of undergraduate students. Taking health issues as a guiding framework, content analysis was adopted to assess participants’ online health information-seeking behavior using a computer screen recording software, and coding analysis was conducted. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic with a formal sample of 101 participants. In terms of online health information-seeking behavior, 59% of the study participants used nouns as keywords, only 27% used Boolean logic retrieval techniques, 81% paid attention to the date of the data, and 85% did not consider the author’s professionalism. The results indicate that health information-seeking behavior and outcome judgments may be a missing piece of the puzzle in higher education. Consequently, the development of online health information-seeking skills through programs for undergraduate students is suggested to ensure that online readers have access to appropriate health information.
Keywords: health information; online health information; information-seeking behavior; undergraduate students; COVID-19 health information; online health information; information-seeking behavior; undergraduate students; COVID-19

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MDPI and ACS Style

Hsu, W.-C. Undergraduate Students’ Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 13250. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413250

AMA Style

Hsu W-C. Undergraduate Students’ Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(24):13250. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413250

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hsu, Wan-Chen. 2021. "Undergraduate Students’ Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 24: 13250. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413250

APA Style

Hsu, W.-C. (2021). Undergraduate Students’ Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24), 13250. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413250

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