Role of eHealth Literacy in Exploring Attitude Towards the Covid-۱۹ Vaccine

Background and Objectives: Searching for health information online no longer attracts scientific attention, and eHealth literacy skills can influence health behaviors in the general population. This study aimed to assess the role of eHealth literacy on attitude towards Covid-۱۹ Vaccine during the pandemic period.Materials and Methods: Between ۱ April ۲۰۲۱ and ۱ July ۲۰۲۱, a single-center descriptive cross-sectional study including ۴۲۲ participants was conducted face-to-face in the vaccine clinics of a pandemic hospital in Istanbul. The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) was used to determine the health promotion skills of the participants and to use the resources to protect their health. Attitudes towards the Covid-۱۹ vaccine scale score, approaches and biases towards the Covid-۱۹ vaccine were evaluated. Data were analyzed with the NCSS ۱۰ (۲۰۱۵ Kaysville, USA) program.Results: The eHealth literacy level of participants aged ۳۰.۸۹±۸.۵۴ years was positively related to the attitude towards Covid-۱۹ Vaccine (r=۰.۱۵۱, p=۰.۰۰۲). The averages of eHEALS and attitude toward Covid-۱۹ Vaccine scale scores were ۳.۶۵±۰.۸۱ out of ۵ (۷۳.۰%) and ۲.۹۹±۰.۸۲ points, respectively. An eHealth literacy of about twice as high as men was observed in women (OR: ۱,۶۶۳, ۹۵% CI = ۱,۰۸۸-۲,۵۴۰; P=۰.۰۱۹). University graduation was observed to be ۷.۷ times more effective in providing a better level of eHealth literacy (OR: ۷.۷۳۶, ۹۵% CI = ۳.۲۸۴-۱۸.۲۲۴; p<۰.۰۰۱). Participants with higher eHealth literacy demonstrated a ۲.۲-fold better attitude score towards the Covid-۱۹ Vaccine (OR: ۲,۲۲۲, ۹۵% CI = ۱,۲۷۰-۳,۸۸۷; p=۰.۰۰۵). Conclusion: An increase in the level of an individual’s eHealth literacy translates to a more positive attitude toward vaccines.

Keywords:

COVID-۱۹ vaccines , Health Literacy , EHealth literacy , COVID-۱۹ Attitudes