Comparative Evaluation of mHealth Awareness, Usage Patterns, and Preventive Behaviours Among Dental, Nursing, and Engineering Undergraduates in Himachal Pradesh

Background

Mobile health applications are significantly shaping preventive healthcare behaviours among young adults, yet empirical evidence from the Himalayan region remains scarce. Understanding students’ mHealth knowledge, usage patterns, and influence on preventive behaviours is essential for improving digital health adoption.

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess and compare mHealth-related knowledge, usage patterns, categories of apps used, and preventive health attitudes and behaviours among dental, nursing, and engineering undergraduate students in Himachal Pradesh.

Materials and Methods

A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 665 students: dental (n = 220), nursing (n = 215), and engineering (n = 230). A validated 22-item questionnaire (Content Validity Index = 0.89; Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84) assessed mHealth knowledge, attitudes, types of applications used, and preventive health behaviours, including physical activity, diet, sleep hygiene, stress management, and routine monitoring. Barriers to mHealth adoption were also documented. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables and one-way ANOVA for preventive behaviour scores.

Results

Overall mHealth knowledge was 78.3 %. Dental students showed significantly higher knowledge (86.4 %) than nursing (79.1 %) and engineering students (70.9 percent) (χ² = 18.42; p < 0.001). Regular mHealth usage (≥3 times per week) was most common among dental students (52.7 percent), followed by nursing (41.8 %) and engineering students (29.6 %) (χ² = 27.15; p < 0.001). Preventive behaviour scores differed significantly (F(2,662) = 32.9; p < 0.001): dental students scored highest (31.4 ± 5.2), followed by nursing (28.7 ± 4.9) and engineering students (26.1 ± 5.4). Frequent mHealth users demonstrated stronger preventive engagement. Key barriers included limited awareness (38.2 %), privacy concerns (28.4 %), and inconsistent internet access (22.5 %).

Conclusion

Dental students exhibited superior mHealth knowledge, higher usage frequency, and stronger preventive behaviours. Strengthening digital health literacy among non-health disciplines may enhance mHealth adoption and support improved preventive health practices across student communities.