Digital health literacy and well-being of university students in Austria during the pandemic

BACKGROUND: Previous findings suggest that depressive and anxiety-related symptoms have doubled among students since the beginning of the pandemic. Digital health literacy can act as a protective resource to strengthen well-being. OBJECTIVES: This paper analyzes the relationship between digital health literacy, socioeconomic status and well-being and future-anxiety among students in Austria. METHODS: 480 students from Austrian higher education institutions were surveyed via online questionnaire during the second wave of the Corona pandemic. Sociodemographic data, students’ self-assessments of well-being, fears regarding future development and perspectives, and digital health literacy were collected. Variance and regression analyses were used for the evaluation. RESULTS: About 50% of the students reported low scores in well-being and distinct fears about the future. A higher socioeconomic status correlated with higher well-being as well as lower fears about the future.Regarding digital health literacy, the ability to assess the relevance of information showed the highest correlation with well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Individual factors such as gender or the study-program are relevant for the interaction between well-being and digital health literacy. The assessment of the relevance of information and its connection with one's own life reality seems to be important factors in promoting well-being.