The effect of e-health literacy on kidney health awareness in adolescents: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with adolescents' e-health literacy and to evaluate e-health literacy as a predictor of kidney health awareness. Design and methods This study is descriptive and cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 669 high school students aged 14–18 years in three public high schools in northeastern Turkey. Data were collected using the “E-Health Literacy Scale in Adolescents” and the “Kidney Health Awareness Scale in Adolescents”. Simple linear regression and multiple linear regression methods were used to analyze the data. Results The mean score of the E -Health Scale was 28.25 ± 5.65 and the mean score of the Kidney Health Awareness Scale in Adolescents was 35.33 ± 7.34. Descriptive characteristics of adolescents (age, gender, mother and father education, income level), health perceptions and internet use accounted for 15.9% of the variance in e-health literacy. Statistical analysis indicated that e-health literacy was a significant predictor of kidney health awareness (β = 0.169, p < 0.001), where higher e-health literacy scores were associated with higher kidney health awareness scores. Conclusion E -health literacy was identified as a significant statistical predictor of kidney health awareness among adolescents. These findings suggest that higher levels of e-health literacy are associated with improved awareness of kidney health. Practice implications Nurses, schools and parents have important responsibilities in improving e-health literacy and kidney health awareness of adolescents. These findings contribute to preventive health services by highlighting the relationship between e-health literacy and kidney health awareness.