THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL HEALTH LITERACY ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS AMONG ADULTS: THE CASE OF ANKARA
Ankara Medical Journal, cilt.25, sa.1, ss.67-79, 2025 (Scopus, TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 25 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.5505/amj.2025.02259
- Dergi Adı: Ankara Medical Journal
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.67-79
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Digital health literacy, eHealth literacy, health behaviors, health promotion, healthy lifestyle behaviors, public health
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objectives: This study examines the influence of digital health literacy on the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviours among adults residing in the city of Ankara. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among 414 adults aged 18–64 in Ankara, utilising validated scales for digital health literacy and healthy lifestyle behaviours. The data were analyzed for socio-demographic patterns, scale reliability, and regression to identify the relationships between digital health literacy and healthy lifestyle behaviours. Results: The mean score for the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour Scale was 85.17 (±11.54), with the highest scores observed for the 'Sleep' item and the lowest for the 'Personal Health Responsibility-II' item. The mean score for the Digital Health Literacy Scale was 2.86 (±0.40), with the highest score for "Privacy Protection" and the lowest for "Credibility." The regression analysis revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between digital health literacy and healthy lifestyle behaviours. In particular, the subdimensions "Information Seeking" (β = 0.150, p = 0.014) and "Privacy Protection" (β = 0.123, p = 0.019) had a significant impact. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that individuals with higher levels of digital health literacy are more likely to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours. Enhancing digital health literacy can empower individuals to adopt healthier habits, access reliable health information and effectively utilise digital health services, thereby improving public health outcomes.