DIGITAL LITERACY AS A ‘VACCINE’ AGAINST ONLINE HEALTH MISINFORMATION AMONG RETIRED TEACHERS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

significant threat to public well-being, particularly among populations with limited digital literacy, like the retired teachers in Anambra State, Nigeria. Retired teachers, despite their educational backgrounds and societal influence, may be vulnerable to misleading health content online due to a generational digital technology gap. This study adopted a quantitative research design with a sample size of 383 respondents selected through a non-probability convenience sampling technique to examine digital literacy, metaphorically likened to a vaccine, as a preventive measure against online health misinformation among retired teachers in Anambra State. Data were collected using a Google-based questionnaire and analysed with SPSS (version 23). Reliability of the instrument was confirmed with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.75. Findings revealed that retired teachers possess basic digital literacy and confidently use smartphones and social media platforms for communication. In spite of this, their ability to search, verify, and evaluate online health information remains weak. The study further showed high exposure to misleading online health messages, which a significant proportion still disseminates, demonstrating limited fact-checking behaviour. The study concludes that digital literacy must extend beyond device usage to include evaluation and verification of online health content. The study is anchored on the eHealth Literacy Framework and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT). Keywords: , , , ,