eHealth Literacy and Lifestyle Behaviours among Undergraduate Students in Nigeria: A Crosssectional Study

Background and Objectives: Lifestyle choices influence health and wellbeing, and accessing health information online requires skills to use effectively. This study aimed to assess eHealth literacy and its association with lifestyle behaviours among undergraduate students in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: We employed a cross-sectional study design using questionnaires to gather responses from undergraduate students across 15 faculties at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The calculated sample size was 630 participants, but to account for a 50% potential loss, 1250 students across all levels were selected for the study. A random sampling technique was used to select six faculties: three health-related and three non-health-related. A structured demographic questionnaire was used to record sociodemographic information, lifestyle behaviours, internet access, and use; the e-health literacy scale (eHEALS) was used to record e-Health literacy. The data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive (mean, frequency, percentage) and inferential statistics (Chi square) were employed, where appropriate, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Out of the 1250 students that participated in the study, 1233 (98.7%) had internet access, while 791 (63.5%) used the internet to assess health information regularly. A total of 648 (51.8%) and 573 (45.9%) students, respectively, exercised regularly and slept regularly. A total of 913 (73%) participants ate regular breakfast. Most of the students did not consume alcohol regularly (91.9%) and were non-smokers (95.9%). The mean eHEALS score was 27.77/40 points. Students in health-related courses had better eHealth literacy than others (p<0.05); a higher level of study led to higher eHealth literacy (p<0.01); and those who exercised once a week or more had better eHealth literacy (p<0.01). Conclusion: Study participants demonstrated good eHealth literacy, associated with course, level of study, exercise, and sleep patterns. Future nationwide studies on the impact of eHealth literacy education are needed to prove causation and develop an intervention.