DETERMINANTS OF ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOR AMONG UNIVERSITY YOUTH IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

In the present society, online platforms play a pivotal role in shaping how individuals access health information among younger generations. The objectives of this study were to investigate the factors influencing online health information-seeking behaviour among university youth, to identify the level of eHealth literacy among university youth, and to analyse the relationship between these factors and online health information-seeking behaviour among university youth. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was used as the theoretical foundation for this research. Applying a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected via an online survey from 91 management undergraduates. The collected data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with the objective of analysing relationships among variables, fitting the model, and testing. Findings reveal that social media is the predominant source of health information, while lack of time and limited search skills are major barriers. The average eHealth literacy score was moderately high, indicating digital readiness among younger generations. The results reveal that behavioural intention and eHealth literacy significantly influence online health information-seeking behaviour. Furthermore, attitudes and subjective norms were found to shape behavioural intention strongly. These findings highlight the relevance of social and psychological factors in digital health behaviours. The study contributes theoretically by validating the TRA model in the Sri Lankan context. Further results provide insights into the design and development of eHealth systems for the young generation.