{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,8]],"date-time":"2026-05-08T09:08:28Z","timestamp":1778231308498,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Med Internet Res"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Digital communication technologies are playing an important role in the health communication strategies of governments and public health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The internet and social media have become important sources of health-related information on COVID-19 and on protective behaviors. In addition, the COVID-19 infodemic is spreading faster than the coronavirus itself, which interferes with governmental health-related communication efforts. This jeopardizes national public health containment strategies. Therefore, digital health literacy is a key competence to navigate web-based COVID-19\u2013related information and service environments.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to investigate university students\u2019 digital health literacy and web-based information-seeking behaviors during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional study among 14,916 university students aged \u226518 years from 130 universities across all 16 federal states of Germany was conducted using a web-based survey. Along with sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, subjective social status), the measures included five subscales from the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI), which was adapted to the specific context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Web-based information-seeking behavior was investigated by examining the web-based sources used by university students and the topics that the students searched for in connection with COVID-19. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analyses.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Across digital health literacy dimensions, the greatest difficulties could be found for assessing the reliability of health-related information (5964\/14,103, 42.3%) and the ability to determine whether the information was written with a commercial interest (5489\/14,097, 38.9%). Moreover, the respondents indicated that they most frequently have problems finding the information they are looking for (4282\/14,098, 30.4%). When stratified according to sociodemographic characteristics, significant differences were found, with female university students reporting a lower DHLI for the dimensions of \u201cinformation searching\u201d and \u201cevaluating reliability.\u201d Search engines, news portals, and websites of public bodies were most often used by the respondents as sources to search for information on COVID-19 and related issues. Female students were found to use social media and health portals more frequently, while male students used Wikipedia and other web-based encyclopedias as well as YouTube more often. The use of social media was associated with a low ability to critically evaluate information, while the opposite was observed for the use of public websites.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Although digital health literacy is well developed in university students, a significant proportion of students still face difficulties with certain abilities to evaluate information. There is a need to strengthen the digital health literacy capacities of university students using tailored interventions. Improving the quality of health-related information on the internet is also key.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/24097","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,8]],"date-time":"2020-12-08T15:45:27Z","timestamp":1607442327000},"page":"e24097","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":299,"title":["Digital Health Literacy and Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors of University Students in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Survey Study"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7367-5362","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kevin","family":"Dadaczynski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1714-4783","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Orkan","family":"Okan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1782-7226","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melanie","family":"Messer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9836-1925","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angela Y M","family":"Leung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6986-0007","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rafaela","family":"Ros\u00e1rio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8671-2022","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emily","family":"Darlington","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2892-1624","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katharina","family":"Rathmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30251-8"},{"key":"ref2","unstructured":"World Health OrganizationNovel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - Situation Report 13202002022020-09-05https:\/\/www.who.int\/docs\/default-source\/coronaviruse\/situation-reports\/20200202-sitrep-13-ncov-v3.pdf"},{"key":"ref3","unstructured":"European Centre for Disease Prevention and ControlECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR)2020-09-05https:\/\/www.ecdc.europa.eu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/Communicable-disease-threats-report-21-mar-2020-PUBLIC.pdf"},{"key":"ref4","unstructured":"WielerLGottschalkREmerging COVID-19 success story: Germany?s strong enabling environmentOur World in Data202006302020-09-05https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/covid-exemplar-germany"},{"key":"ref5","unstructured":"Robert Koch InstitutErg\u00e4nzung zum Nationalen Pandemieplan \u2013 COVID-19 \u2013 neuartige Coronaviruserkrankung202003042020-09-05https:\/\/www.rki.de\/DE\/Content\/InfAZ\/N\/Neuartiges_Coronavirus\/Ergaenzung_Pandemieplan_Covid.html"},{"key":"ref6","unstructured":"Bundesministerium f\u00fcr GensundheitZusammen gegen CoronaAktuelle Informationen zum neuartigen Coronavirus\/Covid-19 Together against corona2020-09-05https:\/\/www.zusammengegencorona.de\/informieren"},{"key":"ref7","unstructured":"Bundesministerium f\u00fcr GesundheitCoronavirus in Deutschland2020-09-05https:\/\/www.bundesregierung.de\/breg-de\/themen\/coronavirus"},{"key":"ref8","unstructured":"Bundeszentrale f\u00fcr gesundheitliche Aufkl\u00e4rungInformationen zum neuartigen Coronavirus \/ COVID-19 Information about the novel coronavirus\/COVID-19, webpage on German2020-09-05https:\/\/www.infektionsschutz.de"},{"key":"ref9","unstructured":"Robert Koch-InstitutCOVID-19 (Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2). Webpage in German2020-09-05https:\/\/www.rki.de\/DE\/Content\/InfAZ\/N\/Neuartiges_Coronavirus\/nCoV.html"},{"key":"ref10","unstructured":"Patienten-Information.deCorona \u2013 verl\u00e4ssliche Informationen zu COVID 192020-09-05https:\/\/www.patienten-information.de\/kurzinformationen\/coronavirus"},{"key":"ref11","unstructured":"Zweites Deutsches FernsehenCoronavirus: Alles zu Covid-192020-09-05https:\/\/www.zdf.de\/nachrichten\/thema\/coronavirus-covid-19-100.html"},{"key":"ref12","unstructured":"Norddeutscher RundfunkCoronavirus-Update mit Christian Drosten2020-09-05https:\/\/www.ndr.de\/nachrichten\/info\/podcast4684.html"},{"key":"ref13","unstructured":"Corona-KriseDas Erste2020-09-05https:\/\/www.daserste.de\/information\/politik-weltgeschehen\/coronakrise\/index.html"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2468-2667(20)30086-4"},{"key":"ref15","first-page":"40","volume":"13","author":"Okan, O","year":"2020","journal-title":"Monitor Versorgungsforschung"},{"key":"ref16","unstructured":"OkanOS\u00f8rensenKMesserMCOVID-19: A guide to good practice on keeping people well informedThe Conversation202003192020-09-05https:\/\/theconversation.com\/covid-19-a-guide-to-good-practice-on-keeping-people-well-informed-134046"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17072309"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30461-X"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2458-12-80"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.6709"},{"key":"ref21","unstructured":"S\u00f8rensenKCovid-19: Digital health literacy is a key to saving time, costs and livesICT & health202003302020-09-05https:\/\/www.ictandhealth.com\/news\/covid-19-digital-health-literacy-is-a-key-to-saving-time-costs-and-lives"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3238\/arztebl.2017.0053"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17155503"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/heapro\/daaa042"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/NXN.0b013e3182510703"},{"key":"ref26","unstructured":"DadaczynskiKOkanOMesserMRathmannKDigitale Gesundheitskompetenz von Studierenden in Deutschland w\u00e4hrend der Corona-Pandemie. Ergebnisse einer bundesweiten Online-BefragungHochschule Fulda202008142020-09-05https:\/\/fuldok.hs-fulda.de\/opus4\/843"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17114164"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2011.02.006"},{"key":"ref29","year":"2019","journal-title":"Hochschulrektorenkonferenz"},{"key":"ref30","unstructured":"Robert Koch-Institut: COVID-19-Dashboard. Webpage in GermanRobert Koch-Institut2020-09-05https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/478220a4c454480e823b17327b2bf1d4"},{"key":"ref31","unstructured":"EFS Survey, Version EFS Winter 2018Questback GmbH20192021-01-09CologneQuestback GmbHhttps:\/\/community.questback.com\/s\/questback-efs-survey"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00103-015-2166-x"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11553-019-00731-6"},{"key":"ref34","author":"Marstedt, G","year":"2018","journal-title":"Das Internet: Auch Ihr Ratgeber f\u00fcr Gesundheitsfragen? Bev\u00f6lkerungsumfrage zur Suche von Gesundheitsinformationen im Internet und zur Reaktion der \u00c4rzte"},{"key":"ref35","unstructured":"Die Datenbank des Statistischen BundesamtesFederal Statistical Office of Germany2021-01-07https:\/\/www-genesis.destatis.de\/genesis\/online"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203771587","author":"Cohen, J","year":"2013","journal-title":"Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/eurpub\/ckv043"},{"key":"ref38","unstructured":"SueddeutscheZBerlin: 20.000 Menschen demonstrieren gegen Corona-AuflagenS\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung202008012020-09-05https:\/\/www.sueddeutsche.de\/politik\/demonstrationen-berlin-20-000-menschen-demonstrieren- gegen-corona-auflagen-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-200801-99-04333"},{"key":"ref39","unstructured":"NaglerKSchr\u00f6derDSchillingAWeberTDsiN-Sicherheitsindex 2020Studie von Deutschland sicher im Netz20202020-09-05https:\/\/www.sicher-im-netz.de\/dsin-sicherheitsindex-2020"},{"key":"ref40","unstructured":"Studie zu Datenschutz: Mehrheit der Deutschen zweifelt an DatensicherheitSinus Institut2020-09-05https:\/\/www.sinus-institut.de\/veroeffentlichungen\/meldungen\/detail\/news\/studie-zu-datenschutz-mehrheit-der-deutschen-zweifelt-an-datensicherheit\/news-a\/show\/news-c\/NewsItem"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-016-3810-6"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11469-020-00270-8"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11469-020-00294-0"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17093010"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/21820"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/19659"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2020.106424"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2020.106357"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.4127"},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00103-015-2200-z"},{"key":"ref51","unstructured":"SchaefferDHurrelmannKBauerUKolpatzikKNational Action Plan Health Literacy. Promoting Health Literacy in Germany20182021-01-08Berlin, GermanyKomParthttps:\/\/www.nap-gesundheitskompetenz.de\/app\/download\/7775450763\/National%20Action%20Plan%20Health%20Literacy.pdf?t=1607442028"},{"key":"ref52","unstructured":"Bundesministerium f\u00fcr GesundheitAllianz f\u00fcr Gesundheitskompetenz2020-09-05https:\/\/www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de\/fileadmin\/Dateien\/3_Downloads\/E\/Erklaerungen\/Allianz_fuer_Gesundheitskompetenz_Abschlusserklaerung.pdf"}],"container-title":["Journal of Medical Internet Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,15]],"date-time":"2021-01-15T09:33:11Z","timestamp":1610703191000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.jmir.org\/2021\/1\/e24097\/"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,15]]},"references-count":52,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/24097","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.2196\/preprints.24097","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1438-8871"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1438-8871","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,15]]}}}