Information behaviour as a mediator of the influence of e-health literacy on counselling decisions among Universitas Indonesia students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31ISIC65242Keywords:
Mental e-Health Literacy, Health Information-Seeking Behavior, Counseling Decision, University Students, IndonesiaAbstract
Introduction.Universities promote digital mental health support; however, how literacy translates into actual help-seeking remains unclear. This study examined whether health information-seeking behaviour functions as a potential mediating pathway between mental e-health literacy and counselling uptake among Universitas Indonesia students, extending Wilson’s (1999) and Savolainen’s (1995) models of information behaviour.
Method. A mixed-methods design was used, combining surveys of 99 counselling users (2022–2025) with four follow-up interviews with experts. Quantitative data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling, and qualitative interviews explored behavioural mechanisms and contextual experiences.
Analysis. The quantitative analysis examined the direct and indirect effects of mental e-health literacy, health information seeking behaviour, and counselling decisions. Qualitative data were thematically coded to identify patterns related to digital trust, confusion, and social influence in students’ online information practice.
Results. Mental e-health literacy predicted health information seeking behaviour (β = 0.399, p < 0.001) and counselling decisions (β = 0.342, p = 0.007), and health information seeking behaviour predicted counselling decisions (β = 0.295, p = 0.016). The indirect effect was marginal (β = 0.118, p = 0.057), indicating a positive but statistically unsupported mediating effect. The model explained 28.4% of the variance in the counselling decision-making.
Conclusion. The findings suggest that health information seeking behaviour supports the relationship between literacy and counselling decision-making but highlights its limited mediating role. Universities should integrate mental e-health literacy training into credible and navigable online ecosystems. The limitations of this study include its single-site focus, small sample size, and potential self-selection bias.
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