Digital Health Literacy and Information-Seeking Behavior among University College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Denmark.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant infodemic have emphasized the importance of digital health literacy (DHL) to global public health research and practice. The aim of this study was to examine information-seeking behavior, the ability to find, understand and deal with health information among university college students in Denmark and/in addition we wanted to examine the impact of their close social network on students' ability to find and understand health information. This research was carried out as part of the COVID-HL university student survey by using a uniform questionnaire consisting of elaborated scales. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey conducted at University College South during 4 weeks in April and May 2020. To capture DHL, four subscales of the DHL instrument were adapted to the pandemic context. A total of 59.9% of the students have sufficient DHL-most students find it rather easy to find information and are satisfied with the information they find on the internet. However, some (28.1%) students find it difficult to judge the quality and reliability of the information. Students with a sufficient level of DHL are more likely to seek information through search engines and websites of official institutions, while students with a limited level of DHL more often use social media for health information. Students with sufficient DHL more often share health information and less often ask for support in their network.

Prior health-related behaviours in children (2014-2020) and association with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test during adolescence (2020-2021): a retrospective cohort study using survey data linked with routine health data in Wales, UK

ObjectivesExamine if pre-COVID-19 pandemic (prior March 2020) health-related behaviours during primary school are associated with i) being tested for SARS-CoV-2 and ii) testing positive between 1 March 2020 to 31 August 2021. DesignRetrospective cohort study using an online cohort survey (January 2018 to February 2020) linked to routine PCR SARS-CoV-2 test results. SettingChildren attending primary schools in Wales (2018-2020), UK who were part of the HAPPEN school network. ParticipantsComplete linked records of eligible participants were obtained for n=7,062 individuals. 39.1% (n=2,764) were tested (age 10.6{+/-}0.9, 48.9% girls) and 8.1% (n=569) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (age 10.6{+/-}1.0, 54.5% girls). Main outcome measuresLogistic regression of health-related behaviours and demographics were used to determine Odds Ratios (OR) of factors associated with i) being tested for SARS-CoV-2 and ii) testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. ResultsConsuming sugary snacks (1-2 days/week OR=1.24, 95% CI 1.04 - 1.49; 5-6 days/week 1.31, 1.07 - 1.61; reference 0 days) can swim 25m (1.21, 1.06 - 1.39) and age (1.25, 1.16 - 1.35) were associated with an increased likelihood of being tested for SARS-CoV-2. Eating breakfast (1.52, 1.01 - 2.27), weekly physical activity [≥] 60 mins (1-2 days 1.69, 1.04 - 2.74; 3-4 days 1.76, 1.10 - 2.82, reference 0 days), out of school club participation (1.06, 1.02 - 1.10), can ride a bike (1.39, 1.00 - 1.93), age (1.16, 1.05 - 1.28) and girls (1.21, 1.00 - 1.46) were associated with an increased likelihood of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Living in least deprived quintiles 4 (0.64, 0.46 - 0.90) and 5 (0.64, 0.46 - 0.89) compared to the most deprived quintile was associated with a decreased likelihood. ConclusionsAssociations may be related to parental health literacy and monitoring behaviours. Physically active behaviours may include co-participation with others, and exposure to SARS-CoV-2. A risk versus benefit approach must be considered given the importance of health-related behaviours for development. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONSO_LIInvestigation of the association of pre-pandemic child health-related behaviour measures with subsequent SARS-CoV-2 testing and infection. C_LIO_LIReporting of multiple child health behaviours linked at an individual-level to routine records of SARS-CoV-2 testing data through the SAIL Databank. C_LIO_LIChild-reported health behaviours were measured before the COVID-19 pandemic (1 January 2018 to 28 February 2020) which may not reflect behaviours during COVID-19. C_LIO_LIHealth behaviours captured through the national-scale HAPPEN survey represent children attending schools that engaged with the HAPPEN Wales primary school network and may not be representative of the whole population of Wales. C_LIO_LIThe period of study for PCR-testing for and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 includes a time frame with varying prevalence rates, approaches to testing children (targeted and mass testing) and restrictions which were not measured in this study. C_LI