University of Twente Student Theses
Health-related internet use in 2023: Predictors of use and relation with mental well-being
Schomaker, Charleen (2023) Health-related internet use in 2023: Predictors of use and relation with mental well-being.
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| Abstract: | Health-related internet use has increased over the last few years as people search online for support regarding their physical or mental health concerns. Researchers started to explore the extent of this use and what factors predict this behavior. In addition, research findings have indicated that engaging in such online searches has implications for individuals' mental well-being. However, past research needs to be more extensive in examining the types of health-related internet use and their association with several predictors. Moreover, the association between health-related internet use and mental health has not been sufficiently investigated. This study investigated to what extent people use various health-related internet websites, tools, or apps. Furthermore, the extent to which age, gender, education level, health status, and received treatments predict various types of health-related internet use was examined. In addition, the extent to which health-related internet use was associated with mental well-being was explored. A correlational research design was performed. The key findings can be highlighted. Most participants have searched on the internet for health-related information in the past. A weak negative bivariate correlation between the variable's health-related internet use and age (r=-0.21, p<0.05) and a weak positive bivariate correlation between the variable's health-related internet use and education level (r=0.22, p<0.05) were found. Furthermore, the multiple regression analysis revealed that an increased level of education was significantly associated with increased reported health-related internet use (B=0.050, β=0.262, p<0.05). Additionally, having received treatment for a chronic/life-threatening condition in the past was significantly associated with health-related internet use (B=0.162, β=0.401, p<0.05). The study's findings regarding the predictors exhibited a certain degree of alignment with previous literature. Future research should further investigate the evolving types of health-related internet use, focusing on identifying underlying factors that predict this utilization. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95255 |
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