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Impact of Digital Health Literacy Programmes on Online Health Information Evaluation among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

The increasing use of the internet and digital platforms has transformed how university students obtain, share, and use health information. Online health information can provide students with convenient access to information about disease prevention, symptoms, treatment options, healthy lifestyles, and available healthcare services. However, the quality and reliability of online health information vary considerably, and students may encounter inaccurate, misleading, outdated, commercial, or harmful health content. Limited digital health literacy may make it difficult for students to distinguish credible health information from misinformation and to assess the reliability of online sources before using or sharing health-related information. Digital health literacy programmes provide an opportunity to develop students' knowledge and skills for searching, accessing, evaluating, interpreting, and appropriately using health information obtained through digital platforms. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of digital health literacy programmes on online health information evaluation among university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Technology Acceptance Model. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of health risks, perceived benefits of accessing reliable information, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their evaluation and use of online health information. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the roles of knowledge, observational learning, self-efficacy, behavioural skills, and social environments in developing effective digital health information evaluation practices. The Technology Acceptance Model explains how perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of digital health tools may influence students' willingness to engage with and critically evaluate online health information. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how digital health literacy programmes may influence online health information evaluation among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate students aged 18 years and above enrolled in selected universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties or departments, academic levels, and eligible students. Digital health literacy programmes will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to digital health literacy training, frequency and duration of training, training content, instruction on identifying credible health websites, evaluation of online sources, recognition of misinformation, verification of health claims, use of authoritative health sources, interpretation of digital health information, privacy and online safety education, and practical digital information-evaluation exercises. Online health information evaluation will be assessed using indicators such as students' ability to assess source credibility, identify reliable health websites, verify health claims using authoritative sources, distinguish evidence-based information from misinformation, evaluate publication dates and authorship, identify commercial or promotional content, recognize misleading health claims, and make appropriate decisions regarding the use or sharing of online health information. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized digital health literacy assessment tools, programme attendance records, and relevant university health education documents. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic characteristics, exposure to digital health literacy programmes, digital health literacy levels, and online health information evaluation practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of digital health literacy programmes on online health information evaluation. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, students' information-evaluation scores before and after structured digital health literacy education may be compared, while relevant demographic, academic, socioeconomic, and digital-access factors are appropriately controlled. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that digital health literacy programmes have a significant positive impact on online health information evaluation among university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured digital health literacy programmes are expected to demonstrate greater ability to assess the credibility, accuracy, relevance, and reliability of online health information than students with limited or no exposure to such programmes. Digital health literacy education may improve students' ability to identify authoritative sources, verify health claims, recognize misinformation, assess the qualifications of information providers, and avoid inappropriate reliance on unverified health content. However, the effectiveness of digital health literacy programmes may be influenced by students' prior digital skills, internet access, availability of reliable online health resources, academic workload, social media use, exposure to misinformation, and differences in educational background. The study therefore expects accessible, practical, evidence-based, and student-focused digital health literacy programmes to contribute significantly to improved evaluation of online health information among university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on digital health literacy, online health information evaluation, health misinformation, university health education, health communication, digital health, information literacy, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, university health centres, public health educators, librarians, information technology units, healthcare professionals, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving students' ability to navigate digital health information. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating digital health literacy into university health education programmes, strengthening practical training on online health information evaluation, promoting the use of credible health information sources, improving awareness of health misinformation, strengthening collaboration between universities and health institutions, and developing digital health literacy initiatives that support informed health decision-making among university students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Digital health literacy, online health information evaluation, health misinformation, university students, health information literacy, digital health, health education, online health information, health communication, Nigeria, public health.