Measuring media use in college students with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection

Ann Margaret Dunn-Navarra, Sima S. Toussi, Elizabeth Cohn, Natalie Neu, Elaine L. Larson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Introduction: Media applications have shown promise for health education. The aims of this study were to develop and evaluate a media survey measure and compare media use among college students with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Methods: Using a cross-sectional, descriptive design, a convenience sample of college students (N = 53) were recruited. Psychometric testing of the media instrument was performed, and the tool was then used to compare media use among HIV-infected undergraduates (n = 15), other undergraduates (n = 23), and nursing students (n = 15). Results: Psychometric testing of the media instrument demonstrated a high degree of reliability (intraclass correlation = .998; 95% confidence intervals = .997, .999). All respondents had computers with Internet access and cellular phones. Among HIV-infected undergraduate students, 86.7% reported spending 5 minutes or more viewing television during the previous 24 hours outside of school and or work, in comparison with 34.8% of the other undergraduate students with no known chronic illness and 46.7% of the nursing students (p = .002 and .05, respectively). Preferred modes to access health information and communicate with health care providers for all respondents were the Internet (86.8%) and telephone (62.3%), respectively. Discussion: Assessment of media use among adolescents and young adults will aid in planning for their health education needs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)342-349
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Pediatric Health Care
Volume28
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2014

Keywords

  • Chronic illness
  • College-age
  • HIV
  • Media activites
  • Media ownership
  • Media use survey

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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