☆ 4.7 Article

Role of Health Literacy in Health-Related Information-Seeking Behavior Online: Cross-sectional Study

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH (2021)

Journal

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH

Volume 23, Issue 1, Pages -

Publisher

JMIR PUBLICATIONS, INC

DOI: 10.2196/14088

Keywords

digital divide; health literacy; internet; technology; access

Funding

Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and Research Fund of the Endowed Academic Chair at the University of Alabama School of Social Work

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Abstract

Access to online health-related information is unequally distributed in the population, with disparities exist based on factors such as health literacy, access to technology, and sociodemographic characteristics. Research and policy attention are needed to address these disparities and improve access to quality health information.

Background: The internet has emerged as a main venue of health information delivery and health-related activities. However, few studies have examined how health literacy determines online health-related behavior. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the current level of health-related information-seeking using the internet and how health literacy, access to technology, and sociodemographic characteristics impact health-related information-seeking behavior. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study through a survey with Minnesotan adults (N=614) to examine their health literacy, access to technology, and health-related information-seeking internet use. We used multivariate regression analysis to assess the relationship between health-related information-seeking on the internet and health literacy and access to technology, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Better health literacy (beta=.35, SE 0.12) and greater access to technological devices (eg, mobile phone and computer or tablet PC; beta=.06, SE 0.19) were both associated with more health-related information-seeking behavior on the internet after adjusting for all other sociodemographic characteristics. Possession of a graduate degree (beta=.28, SE 0.07), female gender (beta=.15, SE 0.05), poor health (beta=.22, SE 0.06), participation in social groups (beta=.13, SE 0.05), and having an annual health exam (beta=.35, SE 0.12) were all associated with online health-related information-seeking. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that access to online health-related information is not uniformly distributed throughout the population, which may exacerbate disparities in health and health care. Research, policy, and practice attention are needed to address the disparities in access to health information as well as to ensure the quality of the information and improve health literacy.

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The Digital Divide in Brazil and Barriers to Telehealth and Equal Digital Health Care: Analysis of Internet Access Using Publicly Available Data

Luis Filipe Nakayama, William Warr Binotti, Naira Link Woite, Chrystinne Oliveira Fernandes, Pia Gabrielle Alfonso, Leo Anthony Celi, Caio Vinicius Regatieri

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the use of digital solutions in medical care in Brazil, but internet access remains a challenge, particularly in rural areas. This study provides an overview of the digital divide in the country, identifies the challenges and opportunities for digital health care implementation, and highlights the need to address the divide to ensure equitable access to digital health care.

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH (2023)