Evaluation of Media Literacy in Students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences

Media literacy is defined as the ability to access, analyze, and evaluate the messages transferred by the media, which has various dimensions including creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. This study was conducted to investigate the media literacy of students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 370 students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences participated. They were selected via social networks using stratified random sampling in 2021. The data were collected using demographic and media literacy measurements. Furthermore, the data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 20.

The results showed that 87% and 13% of the participants had a moderate and high level of media literacy, respectively. The highest and lowest mean scores were related to dimensions of media message content perception and media message analysis. The study also showed a significant relationship between age, grade point average, and father’s education level with media literacy. Using social media like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Facebook was significantly associated with media literacy. 

The result showed that the rate of media literacy in students was moderate, but students had a low level of media message analysis and critical thinking. So, we conclude that there is a need to provide training in media literacy skills in institutions, universities, and schools.