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The Role of eHealth Literacy in Internet Gaming Disorder and Help-Seeking Among College Students.

Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a growing mental health problem, especially among young people. eHealth literacy, the ability to find, understand, and assess health information from electronic platforms and apply acquired knowledge to address health problems, may play a crucial...

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Published in:Western Journal of Nursing Research Vol. 48; no. 8; pp. 856 - 865
Main Authors: Yang, Xue, Wang, Qingqiu, Zhang, Liping
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Sage Publications Inc. Aug2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      jtl: Western Journal of Nursing Research
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      dt: Aug2026
      vid: 48
      iid: 8
      pid: 344
      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
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        atl: The Role of eHealth Literacy in Internet Gaming Disorder and Help-Seeking Among College Students.
      aug:
        au:
          Yang, Xue
          Wang, Qingqiu
          Zhang, Liping
        affil: The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China
      sug:
        subj:
          Students, College Psychosocial Factors
          Video Games
          Internet Addiction Prevention and Control
          Help Seeking Behavior Evaluation
          Telehealth
          Health Literacy
          Human
          Hong Kong
          Funding Source
          Male
          Female
          Adolescence
          Young Adult
          Cross Sectional Studies
          Nonexperimental Studies
          Convenience Sample
          Nonprobability Sample
          Path Analysis
          Sex Factors
          Educational Status
          Internet Addiction Symptoms
          Attitude to Illness
          DSM
          Descriptive Statistics
          Linear Regression
          Structural Equation Modeling
          Confidence Intervals
          Data Analysis Software
          Questionnaires
          Scales
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a growing mental health problem, especially among young people. eHealth literacy, the ability to find, understand, and assess health information from electronic platforms and apply acquired knowledge to address health problems, may play a crucial role in improving mental health and promoting help-seeking behaviors. Objective: This study aimed to test the role of eHealth literacy in IGD symptoms and help-seeking intentions for IGD and the mediating role of illness representations in these relationships. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted online using a convenience sample of university students in Hong Kong (N = 370). Data were collected using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, 9 diagnostic criteria proposed in the DSM-5, the Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale, and the eHEALS tool. Results: Among participants, 28.9% met criteria for probable IGD, yet only 10.8% self-declared as having IGD. Male students (β = 0.123, P =.018) and those with higher education levels (β = 0.120, P =.021) exhibited elevated IGD symptoms, while higher education (β = 0.128, P =.014) and fewer gaming hours (β = 0.135, P =.009) predicted stronger help-seeking intentions. eHealth literacy was negatively associated with IGD symptoms (β = −0.110, P =.034) and positively correlated with perceptions of treatment control (β = 0.106, P =.040). Path analysis revealed that eHealth literacy indirectly enhanced help-seeking intentions through increased treatment control beliefs (β = 0.031; 95% CI, 0.003-0.074). Conclusion: Findings highlight eHealth literacy's protective role against IGD and its indirect effect on help-seeking through treatment control beliefs. Interventions targeting eHealth literacy and perceived treatment efficacy may reduce IGD risk and promote help-seeking.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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