Relationship between media literacy and searching skills on report assignments in nursing students in Japan

Objective: This study evaluates the relationship between information access and media literacy attitudes. We also assessed the impact of “Medical Literature Reading” on media literacy among Japanese university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2–16 and from August 2–16, 2024. A self-reporting questionnaire, including the school year, was used to determine if participants had taken the “Medical Literature Reading” course and to identify the sources often used for reporting assignments and media literacy. Results: This study included 195 subjects. The differences in media literacy scores between school years were analyzed. The total scores of fourth-year students were significantly higher than those of first-year on the media literacy scale (p = 0.014). The differences in media literacy scores among students enrolled in “Medical Literature Reading” were analyzed. The scores on the media literacy scale (p = 0.006) were significantly higher in participants than in non-participants. The relationships among the three groups by sources used for report assignments, school years (χ2(6) = 42.101, p < 0.0001), and history of taking “Medical Literature Reading” (χ2(2) = 7.048, p = 0.030) were also analyzed. Conclusions: Media literacy improved with schooling. Certain report assignments and subjects related to information literacy were found to have affected media literacy. Combining continuing experience and knowledge can lead to improvements in media literacy.