The relationship between digital health literacy and short-form video addiction among university students: the sequential mediating role of physical activity and self-control

This study examined the association between digital health literacy (DHL) and short-form video addiction (SVA) among university students. It also examined potential indirect associations through physical activity (PA) and self-control (SC). A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 376 university students using the Digital Health Literacy Scale, the SVA Scale, the Physical Activity Rating Scale, and the Brief Self-Control Scale. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the associations among variables, and the bias-corrected Bootstrap method was employed to test the mediation effects. DHL was positively correlated with PA ( r = 0.275) and SC ( r = 0.326), and negatively correlated with SVA ( r = -0.366). Both PA ( r = -0.309) and SC ( r = -0.326) were negatively correlated with SVA. PA was positively correlated with SC ( r = 0.322). All correlations were significant ( P < 0.001). The indirect associations through PA and SC were significant, each accounting for 12.64% of the total effect. The sequential indirect association through PA and SC was also significant and accounted for 3.57% of the total effect. Higher DHL was associated with lower SVA among university students, both directly and indirectly through the independent and sequential pathways involving PA and SC. These findings may inform multidimensional intervention strategies for SVA among university students.