Social Sciences

| Peer-Reviewed |

Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Received: 11 June 2019    Accepted: 08 July 2019    Published: 15 October 2019
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

The use of online resources to locate health-related information is known to be increasing among Nigeria youths; sadly, not enough studies that investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of Nigeria youths have been done. This study therefore investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of youths in Ekiti-state, Nigeria, examines the extent to which the internet provides answers to health related questions among the youths, determines the perception of Nigeria youths on internet’s influence on health seeking among them, and ultimately, this study finds out whether the use of internet increases or decreases self-medication among Nigerian youths. A standardized nine-question survey on Internet use and health seeking behavior was given to 300 youths. A review of the literature is also included. It was discovered that out of 300 responses received, 203 youths (67.7%) reported ever consulting the internet to find health information. 194 (64.6%) youths consult the internet for answers to health problems before thinking of consulting a doctor or a caregiver. A large number of the youths (93.1%) follow the online physician advice more closely by practicing self-medication. A total of 191 (94%) youths submitted that the internet influences their behavior of health seeking. Conclusively, the tests of hypothesis show a significant relationship between the use of internet and health seeking behaviors of youths also between the use of internet and self-medication among youths in Ekiti- State, Nigeria.

DOI 10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20
Published in Social Sciences (Volume 8, Issue 5, October 2019)
Page(s) 282-288
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Internet, Youth, Health Seeking Behavior, Self-medication

References
[1] Ajuwon, G. and Popoola, S. (2015). Influence of motivational factors on utilization of Internet health information resources by resident doctors in Nigeria. The Electronic Library, 33 (1), pp. 103-119.
[2] Antoci, A., Sabatini, F. and Sodini, M. (2013). Bowling alone but tweeting together: the evolution of human interaction in the social networking era. Quality & Quantity, 48 (4), pp. 1911-1927.
[3] Montesano, M. (2013). An endless array of options: How the Internet is revolutionizing the ways we meet and mate. CUNY Academic Works. Retrieved from http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/170
[4] Smith M, Saunders R, Stuckhardt L, et al., editors (2014). Best care at lower cost: the path to continuously learning health care in America. Choice Reviews Online, 51 (06), pp. 51-3277-51-3277.
[5] Folayan Opeoluwa F., Adeosun Foluke O., Adeosun Oluwatosin T., Adedeji Bethel O. (2017). The influence of the internet on health seeking behavior of Nursing Mothers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Research and Publications (IJARP), 1 (5), November 2017.
[6] Yu L, Shek DT (2013). Internet addiction in Hong Kong adolescents: a three-year longitudinal study. Journal of Pediatric Adolescence Gynecology. Jun; 26 (3). doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2013.03.010.
[7] Yu JJ, Park SJ (2017). Predictors and the distal outcome of general Internet use: the identification of children's developmental trajectories. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. Nov; 35 (4): 483–497. doi: 10.1111/bjdp.12188.
[8] Ohannessian C (2015). A longitudinal examination of the relationship between technology use and substance use during adolescence. In: Blair SL, Claster PN, Claster SM, editors. Technology and Youth: Growing Up in a Digital World (Sociological Studies of Children and Youth, volume 19) Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited; pp. 293–313.
[9] Okoniewski, A. E., Lee, Y. J., Rodriguez, M., Schnall, R., & Low, A. F. (2014). Health information seeking behaviors of ethnically diverse adolescents. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 16 (4), 652–660. doi: 10.1007/s10903-013-9803-y.
[10] Chen L, Nath R (2016). Understanding the underlying factors of Internet addiction across cultures: a comparison study. Electronic Commerce Resolution Application. 17: 38–48. doi: 10.1016/j.elerap.2016.02.003.
[11] Warf, B. (2011). Geographies of global Internet censorship. Geo Journal, 76, 1-23.
[12] Manganello JA, Sojka CJ. An exploratory study of health literacy and African American adolescents. Compr Child Adolescence Nurs. 2016 Jul 20; 39 (3): 221–239. doi: 10.1080/24694193.2016.1196264.
[13] Park, E., & Kwon, M. (2018). Health-Related Internet Use by Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet research, 20 (4), e120. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7731.
[14] Singh, K., Brown, R. J. (2014). Health-related Internet habits and health anxiety in university students. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping Journal, 27, 542-554.
[15] Stork, C., Calandro, E., Gillwald, A. N. (2013). Internet going mobile: Internet access and use in 11 African countries. Info, 15 (5), 34-51.
[16] Kadiri, K., Alabi, O. (2014). Price comparisons of MTN, Globacom, Etizalat and Airtel Data bundle services in Nigeria with Foreign jurisdictions. World, 3 (3). Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/6145799/Price_Comparisons_of_MTN_GLO_Etizalat_and_Airtel_Services_in_Nigeria_and_with_Foreign_Jurisdiction.
[17] Amaugo, L. G., Papadopoulos, C., Ochieng, B. M., Ali, N. (2014). The effectiveness of HIV/AIDS school-based sexual health education programmes in Nigeria: A systematic review. Health Education Research, 29, 633-648.
[18] Obasola, O. I., & Agunbiade, O. M. (2016). Online Health Information Seeking Pattern Among Undergraduates in a Nigerian University. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244016635255
[19] Horgan, Aine & Sweeney, John. (2013). University students' online habits and their use of the Internet for health information. CIN Computers Informatics Nursing. 31 (4).
[20] Shaikh, I. A., Shaikh, M. A., Kamal, A., Masood, S. (2008). Internet access and utilization for health information among university students in Islamabad. Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, 20, 153-156.
[21] Birpreet, Singh, A., Kumar, K. (2011). Quality of health information available on internet & its use by students of Panjab University Chandigarh, India. Indian Health Journal. Retrieved form http://www.slideshare.net/indianhealthjournal/quality-of-health-information-on-the-internet-indian-medical-students-perspective
[22] WHO (2012). Health-care-seeking behavior among university students in Lebanon Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 18 (6).
[23] Vidyavati SD, Sneha A, Kamarudin J, Katti SM. (2016). Self-Medication - Reasons, Risks and Benefits. International J. of Healthcare and Biomedical Research, 4 (4), pp 21-24.
Author Information
  • Department of Sociology, College of Social and Management Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

  • Department of Business Management and Entrepreneurship, College of Social and Management Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Adeosun Foluke Odunayo, Folayan Opeoluwa Florence. (2019). Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Social Sciences, 8(5), 282-288. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Adeosun Foluke Odunayo; Folayan Opeoluwa Florence. Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Soc. Sci. 2019, 8(5), 282-288. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Adeosun Foluke Odunayo, Folayan Opeoluwa Florence. Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Soc Sci. 2019;8(5):282-288. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20,
      author = {Adeosun Foluke Odunayo and Folayan Opeoluwa Florence},
      title = {Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria},
      journal = {Social Sciences},
      volume = {8},
      number = {5},
      pages = {282-288},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20190805.20},
      abstract = {The use of online resources to locate health-related information is known to be increasing among Nigeria youths; sadly, not enough studies that investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of Nigeria youths have been done. This study therefore investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of youths in Ekiti-state, Nigeria, examines the extent to which the internet provides answers to health related questions among the youths, determines the perception of Nigeria youths on internet’s influence on health seeking among them, and ultimately, this study finds out whether the use of internet increases or decreases self-medication among Nigerian youths. A standardized nine-question survey on Internet use and health seeking behavior was given to 300 youths. A review of the literature is also included. It was discovered that out of 300 responses received, 203 youths (67.7%) reported ever consulting the internet to find health information. 194 (64.6%) youths consult the internet for answers to health problems before thinking of consulting a doctor or a caregiver. A large number of the youths (93.1%) follow the online physician advice more closely by practicing self-medication. A total of 191 (94%) youths submitted that the internet influences their behavior of health seeking. Conclusively, the tests of hypothesis show a significant relationship between the use of internet and health seeking behaviors of youths also between the use of internet and self-medication among youths in Ekiti- State, Nigeria.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria
    AU  - Adeosun Foluke Odunayo
    AU  - Folayan Opeoluwa Florence
    Y1  - 2019/10/15
    PY  - 2019
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20
    T2  - Social Sciences
    JF  - Social Sciences
    JO  - Social Sciences
    SP  - 282
    EP  - 288
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2326-988X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20190805.20
    AB  - The use of online resources to locate health-related information is known to be increasing among Nigeria youths; sadly, not enough studies that investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of Nigeria youths have been done. This study therefore investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of youths in Ekiti-state, Nigeria, examines the extent to which the internet provides answers to health related questions among the youths, determines the perception of Nigeria youths on internet’s influence on health seeking among them, and ultimately, this study finds out whether the use of internet increases or decreases self-medication among Nigerian youths. A standardized nine-question survey on Internet use and health seeking behavior was given to 300 youths. A review of the literature is also included. It was discovered that out of 300 responses received, 203 youths (67.7%) reported ever consulting the internet to find health information. 194 (64.6%) youths consult the internet for answers to health problems before thinking of consulting a doctor or a caregiver. A large number of the youths (93.1%) follow the online physician advice more closely by practicing self-medication. A total of 191 (94%) youths submitted that the internet influences their behavior of health seeking. Conclusively, the tests of hypothesis show a significant relationship between the use of internet and health seeking behaviors of youths also between the use of internet and self-medication among youths in Ekiti- State, Nigeria.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

  • Sections