Do Electronic Health Literacy and Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior Mediate the Effects of Socio-Demographic Factors on COVID-19- and Non-communicable Disease-Related Behaviors Among Myanmar Migrants in Southern Thailand?

Hein Htet; Wit Wichaidit; Hutcha Sriplung; Kyaw Ko Ko Htet; Aungkana Chuaychai; Tida Sottiyotin; Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong

doi:10.7759/cureus.49090

Do Electronic Health Literacy and Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior Mediate the Effects of Socio-Demographic Factors on COVID-19- and Non-communicable Disease-Related Behaviors Among Myanmar Migrants in Southern Thailand?

Cureus. 2023 Nov 20;15(11):e49090. doi: 10.7759/cureus.49090. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Hein Htet¹, Wit Wichaidit¹, Hutcha Sriplung¹, Kyaw Ko Ko Htet¹, Aungkana Chuaychai², Tida Sottiyotin², Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, THA.
² Department of Pharmaceutical Care, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, THA.

Abstract

Introduction Myanmar migrants in Thailand are vulnerable to COVID-19 and non-communicable disease (NCD) risk behaviors, influenced by socio-demographic factors. In the digital age, migrants can seek extensive health information online, and their ability to understand and use electronic health information, which is known as electronic health literacy (e-Health literacy), becomes critical in making decisions about their health behaviors. This study aims to investigate the potential mediating roles of online health information-seeking and e-Health literacy in the associations between socio-demographic factors and COVID-19- and NCD-related behaviors. Methods Our study was conducted in 2022, involving 1,050 Myanmar migrants in two southern Thai cities. Data on socio-demographic factors, e-Health literacy, online health information seeking, COVID-19-related behaviors (adherence to COVID-19 protective behavior (CPB), vaccination), and NCD risk behaviors (smoking, betel chewing, alcohol consumption, substance abuse) were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the hypothesized relationships. Results Nearly all migrants received the COVID-19 vaccination in two doses and above, with reasonable good adherence to CPB. Migrants exhibited risky NCD-related behaviors, including current smoking (26.8%), alcohol consumption (17.5%), and betel chewing (25.8%). Approximately three-quarters (73.4%) had a limited e-Health literacy level, and the vast majority did not search for online health information. Their COVID-19- and NCD-related behaviors were directly influenced by socio-demographic factors without the significant mediation roles of e-Health literacy and online health information seeking. Conclusions Myanmar migrant workers in Southern Thailand had reasonably good practices in COVID-19-related behaviors despite engaging in risky NCD-related behaviors. These outcome behaviors were directly influenced by their socio-demographic factors, without the significant mediation roles of e-Health literacy and online health information seeking. The findings suggest that diverse interventions beyond e-Health strategies for future pandemic mitigation and enhancement of their health behaviors are needed.

Keywords: covid-19; electronic health literacy; myanmar migrants; non-communicable disease; online health information-seeking; socio-demographic factors.