--- title: Does online health literacy link to better menstrual and mental health in teenage girls? description: Yes, teenage girls better at finding and understanding online health information report less severe premenstrual symptoms, lower anxiety and loneliness, and h url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/ehealth-literacy-and-adolescent-health-in-japanese-female-high-school-students-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does online health literacy link to better menstrual and mental health in teenage girls? Cohort study, 2025 # Does online health literacy link to better menstrual and mental health in teenage girls? Yes, teenage girls better at finding and understanding online health information report less severe premenstrual symptoms, lower anxiety and loneliness, and higher self-esteem. This is an association, not proof of cause and effect. Early or limited evidence 909 Japanese female high school students with regular menstrual cycles ## What they did 909 Japanese high school girls with regular menstrual cycles completed a web survey in December 2024. The survey measured their ability to find and understand online health information, premenstrual symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, self-esteem, and menstrual pain. ## What they found 32.1 percent of girls had high ability to find and understand online health information (score of 26 or higher). These girls reported significantly lower premenstrual symptom severity, especially feeling overwhelmed, less loneliness, higher self-esteem, and lower anxiety. Higher ability to find online information was negatively linked to anxiety and loneliness and positively linked to self-esteem. ## What it means for you Better ability to find and evaluate online health information is associated with better mental and reproductive health in teenage girls. This is a correlation only, so we cannot say which causes which. The study looks at one time point, not changes over time. 909 students with complete data 32.1% with high eHealth literacy 22.8 mean eHealth literacy score ## About the study Original title eHealth Literacy and Adolescent Health in Japanese Female High School Students in Sendai: Cross-Sectional Study Authors Takeda T, Yoshimi K, Kai S et al. Journal JMIR pediatrics and parenting Year 2025 Study design Cohort study Participants 909 What was tested Assessment of eHealth literacy and health outcomes Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.2196/73237](https://doi.org/10.2196/73237) Original abstract Background: In the digital age, adolescents increasingly rely on online sources for health-related information. eHealth literacy-defined as the ability to find, evaluate, and apply online health information-plays a crucial role in health outcomes. However, limited research exists on eHealth literacy among Japanese high school students, particularly on its association with menstrual health and psychological well-being. Objective: This study aimed to assess the eHealth literacy of Japanese female high school students and examine its association with premenstrual symptoms, psychological distress, loneliness, and self-esteem. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted in December 2024 among 1607 female students from 2 public high schools in Sendai, Japan. A total of 909 students with regular menstrual cycles completed all survey items. The survey included the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a numerical rating scale for menstrual pain. Statistical analyses, including Student t tests, chi-square tests, correlation analyses, and logistic regression analyses, were used to examine the relationships between eHealth literacy and various health outcomes. Results: The mean eHEALS score was 22.8 (SD 7.3), with 32.1% (292/909) of participants classified as having high eHealth literacy (eHEALS≥26). Students with higher eHealth literacy reported significantly lower levels of loneliness and higher self-esteem. The severity of premenstrual symptoms, particularly feeling overwhelmed, was significantly lower in the high eHealth literacy group. Additionally, interpersonal difficulties related to premenstrual symptoms were less prevalent among students with high eHealth literacy. Pearson correlation analysis indicated negative associations between the eHEALS score and psychological distress (K6) and loneliness, whereas a positive association was observed with self-esteem. Logistic regression analysis showed that high self-esteem was significantly associated with high eHealth literacy. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of eHealth literacy in adolescent health care. Higher eHealth literacy is linked to lower levels of loneliness, higher self-esteem, and reduced premenstrual symptom severity, particularly feeling overwhelmed. Although the cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions, these findings suggest that higher eHealth literacy is associated with better mental and reproductive health in adolescents. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs, include more diverse populations-such as male adolescents-and explore additional contributing factors to better elucidate these associations. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Apps and digital interventions](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-digital-health/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2026 Do young women with PMS search online for health information more and develop health anxiety from it? Interview study, 2024 How do young women use period tracker apps to manage their menstrual cycles? 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