PATTERNS AND MOTIVATIONS OF ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION-SEEKING AMONG UNDERGRADUATES AT IMO STATE UNIVERSITY OWERRI, NIGERIA

Abstract

In the present digital age, the internet has transformed how individuals seek, access, and utilise health information. While online health information seeking among university students has received growing attention globally, there is limited empirical evidence from South-East Nigerian universities, where infrastructural constraints, cultural sensitivities, and rapidly evolving digital behaviours create a unique health information ecosystem. This study examined the patterns and motivations of online health information seeking among undergraduates at Imo State University, Owerri; a context that remains empirically understudied despite its large student population and significant digital connectivity. The study was theoretically anchored in the Uses and Gratifications Theory. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted. The sample size of 392 was determined using the Taro Yamane formula from a population of 20,000 registered undergraduates. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select participants across 13 faculties and departments. Data was collected via a structured self-administered online questionnaire hosted on Google Forms, with items validated and reliability confirmed (Cronbach's α = 0.82). Data were analysed using SPSS version 28; employing frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Findings revealed that online health information seeking is a deeply routine behaviour: 50.3% of respondents used the internet daily and 52.3% used social media daily for health information. Symptoms of illnesses (24.2%), diet and nutrition (17.5%), and sexual health (14.8%) were the most frequently sought topics. Health websites (34.1%) and search engines (25.6%) were the preferred sources, while Facebook (34.5%) and Twitter/X (21.8%) dominated social media use. Convenience (30.8%) and anonymity (28.9%) were the leading motivations, with lack of access to healthcare professionals cited by only 2.4%, indicating that students are making a preferential, gratification-driven choice for digital sources rather than responding to systemic healthcare deficits. The study concludes that, for IMSU undergraduates, online platforms play a strategic role in addressing practical health information needs, particularly where speed, privacy, and accessibility are valued. The study recommends establishing university-affiliated, verified health information portals that address the most frequently searched topics; leveraging students' preferred platforms (Facebook and X) for targeted, low-bandwidth health communication.