The Use of Internet for Seeking Health Information Among Narh-Bita College Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

The Internet provides information on a variety of subjects including health-related information. Access to Internet health information could potentially promote healthy adolescents' lifestyles. Consequently, this may reduce the number of common illness among the youth and thereby reducing the overall cases at health centers. This study was carried out to examine the use of Internet for seeking health information among Narh-Bita College students, Tema, Ghana. The study was a quantitative cross-sectional survey with a convenience sampling method. The study covered one hundred and sixty-one (161) students. The results revealed that the students were active users of the Internet and majority of them were using the Internet for seeking health information. The findings of the study also showed that the surveyed students considered obtained Internet health information useful. In addition, the participants confirmed that obtaining Internet health information had improved the way they took care of themselves. The results further revealed that health information obtained from the Internet was having influence on the students with regards to their interactions with health care providers and their medical decision-making. The study therefore concludes that students of higher education of learning are active Internet users as well as high consumers of Internet health information despite the fact that advanced searching skills among the sampled students seemed problematic. Hence, the study recommends that electronic searching training sessions should be organized on regular basis for the students in addiction to making e-health information easily accessible to all.