The Effect of Structured Health Information-Seeking Training on Cyberchondria and E-Health Literacy in Menopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled study will examine whether two different forms of structured health information-seeking education can help women in perimenopause or postmenopause use online health information more effectively. It will assess whether video-based education and Pecha Kucha-based education reduce cyberchondria, which refers to repeated online health searches that may increase health-related worry, and improve e-health literacy and knowledge about menopause. The study will include 60 women aged 40 to 65 years. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to a video-based education group, a Pecha Kucha-based education group, or a control group, with 20 participants in each group. The education will cover how to identify reliable online health sources, evaluate health information, recognize misleading content, use effective search methods, and avoid online searching behaviors that may increase anxiety. The control group will not receive structured education during the study period. Outcomes will be assessed before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and one month later. The findings will help determine which educational method is more effective in supporting safe and informed online health information-seeking among women during the menopausal transition.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 40 to 65 years * Being in the perimenopausal or postmenopausal period * Able to read and understand Turkish * Having experience using a smartphone, the internet, or social media * Willing to participate and able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder * Having a neurological disorder that affects cognitive functioning * Having a hearing or visual impairment that prevents effective communication or participation * Having a severe health condition that prevents regular participation in the study