Digital health literacy and infodemic awareness among preschool teachers: skills, behaviors, and determinants

TL;DR

This study examines how preschool teachers in Turkey use digital tools to find health information and manage health misinformation, finding moderate digital health literacy and limited impact on infodemic awareness.

Contribution

The study identifies specific skills and behaviors related to digital health literacy and infodemic awareness among preschool teachers, highlighting the role of 'Adding Content' in infodemic management.

Findings

Preschool teachers showed moderate digital health literacy, with 'Adding Content' being a stronger skill than 'Protecting Privacy'.

Digital health literacy had a limited but statistically significant association with infodemic awareness.

Teachers with chronic illness in themselves or their families were more likely to seek health information online.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the levels of digital health literacy and infodemic awareness among preschool teachers, to examine the associated skills and behaviors, and to identify the influencing factors.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between October–November 2025 among preschool teachers working in public schools in the province of Gaziantep. Data were collected through a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI), and the Infodemic Scale.

A total of 325 teachers aged between 19 and 59 participated in the study; 94.5% were female, and 66.2% were married. Daily internet/social media use was mostly 1–3 h (65.5%), and Instagram was the most frequently used platform (87.7%). Health information searching was reported as “sometimes/frequently” by 76.9%, with the main sources being Google (56%) and physicians (54.5%). The presence of chronic illness (self/family member) was 48.9%; in this group, both health information seeking and the use of Google and forums were higher. The mean DHLI score was 2.59 ± 0.38, and the Infodemic Scale score was 62.36 ± 6.35. Infodemic scores were higher among those who used the internet for 0–1 h and those who used television as a source of health information. DHLI predicted infodemic at a low but statistically significant level; in the multiple model, only “Adding Content” was significant.

In the study, preschool teachers had a moderate level of digital health literacy, with differences among the subscales. “Adding Content” was stronger, while Protecting Privacy was weaker. Although digital health literacy was associated with infodemic, its effect was limited; in the multiple analysis, only “Adding Content” was significant. Training in verification, privacy, and evidence-based content, in collaboration with family physicians, may contribute to strengthening teachers' infodemic management and public health interventions.

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