Factors affecting perception of Indian adolescent students toward interactive online mental health information during COVID-19
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IDD-09-2020-0113 |
| Published date | 27 October 2021 |
| Date | 27 October 2021 |
| Pages | 329-342 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Library & information services,Lending,Document delivery,Collection building & management,Stock revision,Consortia |
| Author | Arun Kaushal,Pallavi Dogra |
Factors affecting perception of Indian
adolescent students toward interactive online
mental health information during COVID-19
Arun Kaushal and Pallavi Dogra
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to identify the critical factors affecting the perception of adolescent students toward interactive online mental health
information available on health-related websites.
Design/methodology/approach –The primary data was collected with the help of an online self–structured questionnaire. The qu estionnaire
includes the identified variables extracted from previous literature related to the mental health information websites using the Likert sca le. The
respondents include the adolescent school students belonging to the northern region of India: semi-urban/rural locatio ns of Uttar Pradesh (Agra and
Mathura) and urban cities (Faridabad, Gaziabad, Delhi and NCR). The criteria for selecting respondents were that students must have visited any
online health information-related websites at least once. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the factors with the help of SPSS.20.
Findings –The identified factors that include information delivery medium/mode, websites’navigation structure, customized in formation or
content, ability to form a virtual relationship and supplementary features of the websites may benefit the health communication system of any
country and the health-care industry.
Research limitations/implications –There are some limitations such as a limited number of respondents and even on that sample was taken for
teenagers; thereby creating fewer generalizations related to the present context. Further, only exploratory factor anal ysis is applied in the studyto
identify the factors but future researchers may proceed to develop the conceptual model of perception toward online information with the help of
confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques.
Practical implications –The results of this study are useful for government officials especially those related to the ministry of health care and
public health organizations of various countries, who usually invest in co-designing authentic, reliable and high interactive online information-
sharing websites.
Social implications –The results of the study will facilitate the various social child welfare associations and non-governmental organizations that
are usually involved in the holistic development of adolescents. The identified factors can be seriously taken into considerations by these
associations while they are formulating any on line websites for sharing health-related information to adolescents.
Originality/value –The study is unique as it provides insight into the opinion of the adolescent students, primarily upon encountering the online
mental health information concerning the Indian perspective. Future researchers, health-care policyma kers and health-care professionals may use
the study to capture a complete picture of a relevant phenomenon in their work.
Keywords Mental health information, Health communication, Adolescents, Health-care industry, COVID-19,
Online health information-seeking behavior
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The contemporary pandemic situation of COVID-19
worldwide has createda stiffchallenge for the entire health-care
industry, health-care communicators and government officials
of different countries to save human life (Adu-Gyamfiet al.,
2021;Asante Antwi et al.,2021;Ratzan et al., 2020). COVID-
19 has a devastating influence on human health, national
economies and the overall stability of human civilization(Adu-
Gyamfiet al.,2021;Abonyi, 2020). Due to this social and
economic disruption, both emotional and psychological
problems have cropped up, termed mental health illnesses
(Rochmawati et al.,2021;Janardhan and Jaisoorya, 2020). The
prevalence of this abrupt destruction has resulted in
psychological pressure, tension and fear in the minds of
individuals in the form of mental health problems. In 2018,
approximately 56 million individuals suffering from mental
health problems (depression) worldwide; hence, it is a severe
issue because mental health problems are expected to increase
during COVID-19 (WHO,2020a, 2020b). As per the
information from ICMR(Indian Council of Medical Research,
2017) report, it was stated that 10%–13% of the Indian
The current issue and full text archiveof this journal is available on Emerald
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2398-6247.htm
Information Discovery and Delivery
50/4 (2022) 329–342
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2398-6247]
[DOI 10.1108/IDD-09-2020-0113]
Received 15 September 2020
Revised 19 November 2020
12 February 2021
20 May 2021
23 July 2021
Accepted 13 September 2021
329
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