Pattern of media literacy skills and internet health information utilization among in-school adolescents in Osun State, south-west, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Adolescents due to their impressionability and gullibility are particularly vulnerable to media influence.

Objectives: The study set out to determine media literacy skill levels and its relationship with socio-demographic profile and the purpose of Internet health information by in-school adolescents in Osun State, Nigeria.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey using multi-stage sampling method. A calculated sample size of 1,200 adolescents from 6 public and 6 privately owned high schools were selected for the study.

Result: Findings revealed that majority, 798(67.3%), of respondents were in the mid adolescence stage with as much as 792(66.8%) belonging to the lower social class IV. A little over half (51.9%) reported good media literacy skill levels. There were statistically significant relationships (p< 0.50) between age, gender, socio-economic class and media literacy skills. Sexuality issues ( x̄ =3.09), other nutritional issues ( x̄ =3.08) and body size, shape, body image or physique (x̄ =2.91) were affirmed as ranking highest among the purpose for Internet health information use by the respondents.

Keywords: media literacy, social class, adolescence, in-school adolescents, gender