Coronavirus disease 2019 information-seeking behavior globally: a systematic review.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to provide a global picture of information-seeking behavior, source information used, and its associated factors. Methods: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses steps. Databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, World Health Organization libraries, and Google Scholar were used to search all published articles. Articles on COVID-19 information-seeking behavior published until November 04, 2021, and the use of the English language was included. Two independent reviewers did the article selection and quality check. Results: For this systematic review, twenty articles were included in the final report. Information-seeking behavior was associated with digital health literacy, online information sources, and socio-demographic factors. The major sources of health information during the COVID-19 pandemic were digital media, television, public health portals like the world health organization, and center for communicable disease and prevention websites. Conclusion: This systematic review provides a valuable overview of available information on information-seeking behavior regarding COVID-19 globally. The studies used a heterogeneous study population, various research techniques, and various research questions. Digital literacy and online information sources play a vital role in information-seeking behavior.

Digital Health Literacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Health Care Providers in Resource-Limited Settings: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Digital health literacy is the use of information and communication technology to support health and health care. Digital health literacy is becoming increasingly important as individuals continue to seek medical advice from various web-based sources, especially social media, during the pandemics such as COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess health professionals' digital health literacy level and associated factors in Southwest Ethiopia in 2021. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2021 in Ethiopia. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 423 study participants among health professionals. SPSS (version 20) software was used for data entry and analysis. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between the digital health literacy skill and associated factors. Significance value was obtained at 95% CI and P<.05. RESULTS: In total, 401 study subjects participated in the study. Overall, 43.6% (n=176) of respondents had high digital health literacy skills. High computer literacy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.43, 95% CI 2.34-5.67; P=.01); master's degree and above (AOR 3.42, 95% CI 2.31-4.90; P=.02); internet use (AOR 4.00, 95% CI 1.78-4.02; P=.03); perceived ease of use (AOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.35-4.65; P=.04); monthly income of >15,000 Ethiopian birr (>US $283.68; AOR 7.55, 95% CI 6.43-9.44; P<.001); good knowledge of eHealth (AOR 2.22, 95% CI 1.32-4.03; P=.04); favorable attitudes (AOR 3.11, 95% CI 2.11-4.32; P=.04); and perceived usefulness (AOR 3.43, 95% CI 2.43-5.44; P=.02) were variables associated with eHealth literacy level. CONCLUSIONS: In general, less than half of the study participants had a high digital health literacy level. High computer literacy, master's degree and above, frequent internet use, perceived ease to use, income of >15,000 Ethiopian birr (>US $283.68), good knowledge of digital health literacy, favorable attitude, and perceived usefulness were the most determinant factors in the study. Having high computer literacy, frequent use of internet, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, favorable attitude, and a high level of education will help to promote a high level of digital health literacy.

Health Professionals' Attitude Toward the Use of Social Media for COVID-19 Related Information in Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Social media platform is one way to share online information regarding pandemic prevention. However, there is no study regarding the attitude of health professionals toward social media use for the COVID-19-related information. This study aimed to assess health professionals' attitudes toward using social media for COVID-19-related information. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 355 health professionals in Bahir Dar city public health centers, Northwest Ethiopia. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were entered by EPI-data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 23 software. Descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to describe respondents' attitudes toward using social media for COVID-19 information and identify associated factors. An adjusted odds ratio (OR) and a p-value with a 95% CI were calculated to measure the strength of the association and assess statistical significance. Result: Out of 341 participants, about 73% of the participants had a good attitude toward the use of social media for COVID-19 information. Age < 24 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.74, 95% CI: (1.53-9.13)] and age group 25-34 years [AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: (1.04-4.86)], computer training [AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: (1.03-4.00)], usefulness of social media [AOR = 3.25, 95% CI: (1.58-6.67)], and trustworthiness [AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: (1.93-6.60)] were enabling factors for attitude toward the use of social media for COVID-19 related information. Conclusion: Health professionals had a moderate attitude toward using social media for accessing COVID-19-related information. This implies that after considering positive attitude predictors, such as providing basic computer training, emphasizing the usefulness of social media, and building trusted social media pages, social media platforms can be used as a source of COVID-19-related information for health professionals.

Willingness to use telemedicine during COVID-19 among health professionals in a low income country.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has prompted rapid restructuring of the health-care system in an effort to stop the spread of the pandemic. Thus, telemedicine is more preferable in order to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic when face to face meeting is forbidden, allowing provision of health service over a distance. This study aimed to assess willingness to use telemedicine and factors that will determine their extent of willingness during COIVID-19 among healthcare providers working in south west of Ethiopia. METHODS: Institutional based cross-sectional study design was applied to assess willingness to use telemedicine among healthcare providers working at public health hospitals in south west of Ethiopia. Self-administered questionnaires were used. We have used Epi-info for data entry and Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) for analysis. A structural equation modeling was performed to identify factors associated with willingness to use telemedicine at 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULT: In this study, less than half of respondents had high willingness to use telemedicine. Ease of use (ß = 0.79, 95% CI: [0.72, 0.86], p < 0.01), attitude (ß = 0.91, 95% CI: [0.87, 0.95], p < 0.01) and patient-physician relationships (ß = 0.67, 95% CI: [0.54, 0.70], p < 0.01) were variables associated with willingness to use telemedicine. Anxiety towards technology (ß = 0.74, 95% CI: [0.69, 0.79], p < 0.01) and patient-physician relationships (ß = 0.87, 95% CI: [0.81, 0.92], p < 0.01) were determinant factors of attitude to use telemedicine. CONCLUSIONS: The overall willingness to use telemedicine during COVID-19 in this setting is 46.5%. Addressing the problem related with ease of use, attitude and patient-physician relationships will help to increase the overall willingness to use telemedicine during COVID-19. An attempt to improving patient-physician relationship, provision of technical training for ease of use and working on healthcare providers' attitude will help to improve the willingness to use telemedicine.

Information Seeking on Covid-19 Pandemic: Care Providers' Experience at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital, Northwest of Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: During the pandemic, information is inevitable and important, and having knowledge on pertinent information is very crucial for health-care professionals in order to deliver sustainable and quality health services to their clients, and to combat the virus. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the health-care providers' information seeking behavior on COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study had conducted among 291 respondents. The participant's characteristics were presented using frequency and percentage. The association between the independent and dependent variables was explained using chi-squared test. RESULTS: Out of the 291 respondents, 207 (71.1%) of them had sought information on COVID-19 pandemic. The association between the gender and educational status with the outcome variable was found insignificant. Age (χ2=10.6, P=0.011), respondent's working unit (χ2=33.7, P<0.001), profession (χ2=12.7, P=0.013), taking computer training (χ2=17.44, P=0.000), computer access at work place (χ2=7.28, P=0.007), internet access at work place (χ2=22.2, P<0.001), and frequency of internet use (χ2=17.63, P<0.001) were found significant with COVID-19 information seeking. CONCLUSION: Information seeking behavior was positively associated with computer access, computer training, internet access and frequency of use. Therefore, comprehensive package is required to build the capacity of care providers on computer-related skills. Besides, institutions need to have internet and computer access.