DEVELOPMENT OF e-HEALTH LITERACY MODEL RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE 10th REGIONAL HEALTH MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Abstract

This study aimed to The objectives of this research were to develop e-Health Literacy Model Related to Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) of Older Adults in The 10th Regional Health Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. The study was based on the concepts of e-Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy Theory, and Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the theoretical framework for designing the learning model. The research was conducted in three phases: 1) Involved investigating the situation and related factors. The quantitative sample consisted of 346 older adults, while the qualitative informants included 26 participants, comprising subdistrict administrative organization leaders, village health volunteers, and older adults who served as role models. 2) Involved developing and implementing the model with older adults, who were divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 40 participants in each group. 3) Involved evaluating the model after the implementation of the activities. The research instruments included a structured interview form and a questionnaire. The Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) ranged from 0.50 to 1.00. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed 1) Elderly individuals in the experimental group had significantly higher average scores (p < 0.05) in online health information use behavior, online health information retrieval behavior, online health information literacy ability, and self-efficacy regarding prevention compared to the control group. 2) The developed model integrating e-Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy Theory, and Diffusion of Innovations Theory effectively enhanced older adults’ knowledge, understanding, and appropriate behaviors in using online health information. The model also aligns well with the social and cultural context of the study area and. 3) Satisfaction after using the model was significantly higher than before using the model (p < 0.05).