Impact of health information seeking behavior and digital health literacy on self-perceived health and depression symptoms among older adults in the United States

Abstract Background: Understanding the impact of digital health literacy and health information-seeking behavior on the self-perceived health and depression symptoms of older adults is crucial, particularly as the number of older internet users is increasing. Methods: This study utilized data from t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jonathan Aseye Nutakor, Lulin Zhou, Ebenezer Larnyo, Stephen Addai-Dansoh, Yupeng Cui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82187-z
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Summary:Abstract Background: Understanding the impact of digital health literacy and health information-seeking behavior on the self-perceived health and depression symptoms of older adults is crucial, particularly as the number of older internet users is increasing. Methods: This study utilized data from the Health Information National Trends Survey to examine the relationship between these factors and the health outcomes of adults aged 50 and above. Results: The study found that digital health literacy has a positive but non-significant relationship with self-perceived health when other factors are considered. However, education level and body mass index consistently predicted self-perceived health. Moreover, higher digital health literacy was associated with a reduced likelihood of perceived depression symptoms, even after adjusting for demographic and health-related factors. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of digital health literacy in the mental well-being of older adults and provide insights for shaping future health policies and interventions.
ISSN:2045-2322