The Impact of Individuals' Attitudes Towards Social Media and Frequency
of Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak of e-Health Literacy and
COVID-19 Preventive Health Behavior
Abstract
Objectives: The study focused on the relationship of individuals’
attitudes towards the COVID-19 outbreak in social media networks and the
frequency of social media use associated with the outbreak with e-health
literacy and COVID-19 preventive health behavior. Methods: The data of
the study were obtained by applying the survey method. The data were
collected using the convenience sampling technique. Within the scope of
the study, 773 survey data were obtained. A mediation analysis using
multiple regression was performed for the analysis of the data. Results:
The results obtained in the analysis, the attitudes of individuals
towards social media during the epidemic has a significant and positive
predictive effect on e-health literacy (R2: 0.1468, F: 133.223, p
<0.05) and preventive health behavior (R2: 0.0489, F: 39.621,
p <0.05). Conclusion: In the analysis conducted, the attitudes
towards social media of individuals has significant and positive effects
on e-health literacy and preventive COVID-19 health behavior. In
addition, it was concluded that individuals’ frequency of social media
use during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak had a positive and significant
relationship with e-health literacy and COVID-19 preventive health
behavior.