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Influence of Digital Health Education on the Use of Mobile Health Applications among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Digital health technologies have become increasingly important in the delivery, access, and management of health information and services. Mobile health applications provide users with opportunities to access health information, monitor health-related activities, receive reminders, communicate with healthcare providers, manage appointments, track medication use, monitor physical activity, and support other aspects of personal health management. University students constitute an important population for digital health interventions because of their high exposure to mobile technologies and smartphones. Digital health education provides students with knowledge and practical skills on identifying reliable digital health resources, selecting appropriate mobile health applications, understanding application functions, protecting personal health information, evaluating the credibility of health content, and using mobile health applications appropriately for health-related purposes. The use of mobile health applications refers to the actual adoption and utilization of mobile applications for health information, health monitoring, medication reminders, appointment management, fitness and wellness activities, disease management, health communication, and other appropriate health-related functions. In Nigeria, limited use of potentially beneficial mobile health applications among university students may be associated with inadequate digital health literacy, concerns about data privacy, uncertainty regarding application credibility, limited awareness of available applications, cost of internet access, and difficulty evaluating the quality of digital health information. Effective digital health education may improve students' digital health knowledge and confidence and encourage appropriate use of mobile health applications. Against this background, this study investigates the influence of digital health education on the use of mobile health applications among university students in Nigeria. The study is anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice framework. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the interaction between digital health knowledge, self-efficacy, observational learning, social influences, and technological environments in shaping health-related technology use. The Technology Acceptance Model provides a framework for understanding students' adoption and use of mobile health applications based on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward technology, and behavioural intention. The Knowledge-Attitude-Practice framework provides a basis for examining how digital health education may improve students' knowledge and attitudes and translate these improvements into appropriate use of mobile health applications. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how digital health education may influence the use of mobile health applications among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. Primary data will be collected from undergraduate students in selected Nigerian universities using a structured self-administered questionnaire, digital health knowledge assessment, and mobile health application utilization assessment tool. A multistage sampling technique will be employed to select universities, faculties or departments, academic levels, and eligible students. Where feasible, selected student groups or university settings will be assigned to intervention and comparison groups. Students in the intervention group will receive structured digital health education through interactive lectures, practical demonstrations, application-use sessions, visual materials, and guided digital-health activities. The education will cover the concept of digital health, types and functions of mobile health applications, identification of credible applications, evaluation of digital health information, appropriate use of health-monitoring tools, privacy and data protection, safe management of personal health information, and responsible use of mobile health technologies. The use of mobile health applications will be assessed using indicators such as application adoption, frequency of use, duration of use, types of health applications used, purposes of use, use of health-monitoring features, medication or appointment reminders, access to health information, and continued use of selected applications. Where feasible, application-use logs, screenshots, or other appropriate objective measures may complement self-reported utilization, subject to participant consent and privacy protection. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' sociodemographic characteristics, smartphone and internet access, previous digital health education, digital health knowledge, and mobile health application use. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired-sample tests, independent-sample tests, and logistic or multiple regression analysis, will be used to determine the influence of digital health education on mobile health application use. Where appropriate, application use before and after the intervention will be compared. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability of the research instruments, model assumptions, goodness of fit, multicollinearity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that digital health education has a significant positive influence on the use of mobile health applications among university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured digital health education are expected to demonstrate improved understanding of mobile health technologies, greater ability to identify credible health applications, increased confidence in using digital health tools, and higher levels of appropriate application use. Education is expected to encourage students to use mobile health applications for health information, physical activity monitoring, medication reminders, appointment management, wellness activities, and other appropriate health purposes. Practical training that allows students to explore and use selected applications under guidance is expected to be particularly effective in improving confidence and sustained utilization. However, digital health education alone may not guarantee continued application use because students may face barriers such as internet costs, smartphone limitations, privacy concerns, poor application quality, subscription fees, unreliable digital services, and uncertainty about the credibility of health information. Consequently, digital health education may be most effective when supported by reliable internet access, affordable digital services, secure applications, privacy protections, and appropriate institutional guidance on digital health technology. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on digital health education, mobile health applications, digital health literacy, university students, health technology adoption, health education, health information, and public health in Nigeria by providing empirical evidence on the influence of digital health education on the use of mobile health applications. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, digital health organizations, healthcare providers, technology developers, public health practitioners, health educators, digital health professionals, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for promoting responsible and effective use of mobile health technologies among young adults. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating digital health education into university health programmes, strengthening students' digital health literacy, promoting evaluation of health-app credibility, improving awareness of privacy and data protection, and encouraging appropriate and sustainable use of mobile health applications among university students in Nigeria.

Keywords: Digital health education, mobile health applications, university students, Nigeria, digital health, mHealth, digital health literacy, health technology, health information, mobile health, technology adoption, health education, public health.