The Impact of Health Communication Competence towards Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) in Health Information Sharing among Internet Users in Malaysia
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered daily activities, with Malaysians increasingly relying on the internet for various tasks, such as e-commerce and booking health appointments. This descriptive study applied a cross-sectional approach to explore the relationship between health communication competence and electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) among internet users in Malaysia. A total of 400 respondents, selected through quota sampling from four regions, completed a questionnaire divided into three sections: demographic background, health communication competence, and e-WOM. The findings indicated that Malaysian internet users possess fair health communication competence. Correlational analysis showed significant relationships between health communication competence—specifically adherence, critical and participative communication, and active disease-related communication—and e-WOM. However, multiple regression analysis identified critical and participative communication as the strongest predictor of e-WOM in health information sharing. The research met its three objectives and supported all four hypotheses, contributing valuable insights to a previously under-researched area and offering a foundation for future exploration of these variables.
Institutions: Universiti Teknologi MARA System, Universiti Teknologi MARA
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4403827785