Decomposition and comparative analysis of urban-rural differences in eHealth literacy among nursing students: A multisite cross-sectional study

Background: Investigating the urban-rural differences in eHealth literacy among Chinese nursing students is imperative for enhancing healthcare education and practice. This study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to urban-rural differences in eHealth literacy among Chinese nursing students and measure their respective contributions.

Design: A multisite cross-sectional study.

Settings: In China.

Participants: A total of 967 nursing students were involved in this study.

Methods: Multivariate linear regression models were used to explore the associations between sociodemographic and health-related factors and the eHealth literacy of Chinese nursing students. Additionally, Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition was employed to scrutinize the factors attributing to the urban-rural differences in eHealth literacy among Chinese nursing students, elucidating their respective contributions.

Results: The mean eHealth literacy score for urban nursing students (mean: 20.26, SD: 3.61) exceeded that of rural nursing students (mean: 19.53, SD: 3.56) (p < 0.001). Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis indicated that 84.82 % of the urban-rural differences in eHealth literacy among nursing students can be explained. The urban-rural differences are primarily explained by family health (40.05 %).

Conclusions: The study emphasizes the importance of tailoring educational curricula to address urban-rural differences in eHealth literacy among nursing students in China. Specifically, incorporating content related to family health in educational programs is crucial.