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eHealth Literacy 2.0
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eHealth Literacy 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 48337

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mariusz Duplaga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Grzegorzecka Str. 20, 31-531 Krakow, Poland
Interests: public health; health promotion; health programmes; health literacy; e health; digital health literacy; telemedicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Tetine Sentell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Interests: health literacy; health equity; racial/ethnic health disparities; social ecological context; health policy; comparative health systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

eHealth is perceived as a great opportunity for increasing the effectiveness of interventions in public health and health promotion. Unfortunately, the communities interested in the development of eHealth and those active in public health do not benefit sufficiently from the synergies between these two fields. The concept of eHealth literacy commonly used in the eHealth field is parallel to the concept of health literacy perceived as a crucial determinant of health-by-health promotion specialists. As the rationale for the development of the concept of eHealth literacy was related to the growing use of the Internet for accessing health-related content, the most popular tools for its assessment are focused on the assessment of abilities related to handling internet-based health-related information.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new perspective on the role of eHealth literacy was proposed. The pandemic is accompanied by an overwhelming flood of misinformation taking the form of fake news and conspiracy theories. As the Internet is the main source of such messages, a critical assessment of health information available online embedded in adequate eHealth literacy became a key mechanism of resilience against misinformation.

The Special Issue on “eHealth Literacy” is planned to demonstrate the synergies between eHealth and public health. Therefore, submissions focusing on the following issues are particularly welcome:

  • the importance of eHealth literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with information behaviors of respondents representing diversified environments;
  • the relationship between eHealth literacy and health literacy in various populations;
  • the revised definition and perception of eHealth literacy adjusted to the current stage of eHealth development;
  • the validation of new tools for measuring eHealth literacy;
  • the impact of eHealth literacy on health-related opinions and health behaviors as well as on the utilization of health services and self-management;
  • approaches to developing eHealth literacy and the effectiveness of applied interventions.

Apart from these topics, all papers addressing eHealth literacy and presenting related studies are encouraged. Researchers are invited to contribute novel work to be considered for publication in this Special Issue. Submissions should include original articles, critical reviews (systematic reviews or meta-analyses), or brief reports.

Prof. Dr. Mariusz Duplaga
Prof. Dr. Tetine Sentell
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • eHealth literacy
  • Health literacy
  • Health information
  • Health behaviors
  • Utilization of health services
  • Resilience to misinformation
  • COVID-19 pandemic

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 9320 KiB  
Article
eHealth Literacy in German Skin Cancer Patients
by Henner Stege, Sara Schneider, Andrea Forschner, Thomas Eigentler, Dorothée Nashan, Svea Huening, Frank Meiss, Saskia Lehr, Martin Kaatz, Robert Kuchen, Katharina C. Kaehler, Maximilian Haist, Jutta Huebner and Carmen Loquai
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148365 - 8 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2113
Abstract
The global incidence of skin cancer has steadily increased in recent years, and malignant melanoma still has one of the fastest-growing incidence rates among all malignant tumors in the western world. Thus, newly diagnosed patients have an increased need for health information concerning [...] Read more.
The global incidence of skin cancer has steadily increased in recent years, and malignant melanoma still has one of the fastest-growing incidence rates among all malignant tumors in the western world. Thus, newly diagnosed patients have an increased need for health information concerning their disease. Using a standardized questionnaire, our study aims to investigate our patients’ primary sources of health-related information as well as their self-proclaimed eHealth literacy. We received 714 questionnaires. Regardless of age, the primary source of information was the treating dermato-oncologist, followed by the treating general practitioner and the Internet. However, with increasing age, the usage of the Internet decreased. Hence, younger participants were better equipped to find health-related information while using the Internet. Additionally, comprehending health-related information and gaining medical knowledge was significantly increased in better-educated participants. Overall, our study shows that with increased use of eHealth services, accessing web-based information increased, correlating with a better eHealth literacy of our patients. eHealth technologies are increasingly becoming more prevalent as a primary source of information in our modern health care system. Thus, it is crucial to educate cancer patients in eHealth literacy to make autonomous, informed decisions and gain more confidence in dealing with their disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue eHealth Literacy 2.0)
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16 pages, 1534 KiB  
Article
Facing the Growing COVID-19 Infodemic: Digital Health Literacy and Information-Seeking Behaviour of University Students in Slovenia
by Mitja Vrdelja, Sanja Vrbovšek, Vito Klopčič, Kevin Dadaczynski and Orkan Okan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8507; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168507 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 7095
Abstract
The entire world is faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, which is also accompanied by an infodemic. This refers to the rapid spread of (accurate and false) information, mainly through internet usage increasing. Digital health literacy (DHL) is therefore important for addressing challenges related [...] Read more.
The entire world is faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, which is also accompanied by an infodemic. This refers to the rapid spread of (accurate and false) information, mainly through internet usage increasing. Digital health literacy (DHL) is therefore important for addressing challenges related to online health information and services, as well as for navigation through the complex information landscape with huge amounts of different (and conflicting) information about COVID-19. The aim of this study is to examine the level of DHL in relation to COVID-19 in Slovenian university students and to determine online information-seeking behaviour in order to plan and prepare effective communication interventions for this sub-population. A cross-sectional survey, administered by an online questionnaire, was conducted to collect data on DHL. A total of 3621 students participated, of whom 70% were female and the average age was 22.65 years (SD = 4.65). Bivariate analyses were performed to assess the association of key characteristics with DHL. Overall, the results show that the level of DHL among students is sufficient. Most difficulties were reported in assessing the reliability of information (n = 1484, 49.3%). Approximately one third of the students (n = 847, 27.9%) reported having problems in finding information of their interest, and somewhat more (n = 900, 29.6%) reported difficulties in making a selection among all the information found. Students with a sufficient level of DHL are more likely to seek information through search engines and websites of official institutions, while students with a limited level of DHL more frequently reported using social media for health information searches. It is necessary to establish interventions for a systematic lift of the DHL and health literacy (HL) of all population groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue eHealth Literacy 2.0)
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15 pages, 1004 KiB  
Article
Negative Impact of Fear of COVID-19 on Health-Related Quality of Life Was Modified by Health Literacy, eHealth Literacy, and Digital Healthy Diet Literacy: A Multi-Hospital Survey
by Minh H. Nguyen, Thu T. M. Pham, Kien T. Nguyen, Yen H. Nguyen, Tien V. Tran, Binh N. Do, Hung K. Dao, Huu C. Nguyen, Ngoc T. Do, Tung H. Ha, Dung T. Phan, Khue M. Pham, Linh V. Pham, Phuoc B. Nguyen, Hoai T. T. Nguyen, Thinh V. Do, Dung T. Ha, Hung Q. Nguyen, Huong T. M. Ngo, Manh V. Trinh, Thuy T. T. Mai, Nhan P. T. Nguyen, Anh L. Tra, Thao T. P. Nguyen, Kien T. Nguyen, Chyi-Huey Bai and Tuyen Van Duongadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4929; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094929 - 6 May 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 9099
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been disseminating fear in the community, which has affected people’s quality of life, especially those with health problems. Health literacy (HL), eHealth literacy (eHEAL), and digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) may have potential impacts on containing the pandemic [...] Read more.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been disseminating fear in the community, which has affected people’s quality of life, especially those with health problems. Health literacy (HL), eHealth literacy (eHEAL), and digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) may have potential impacts on containing the pandemic and its consequences. This study aimed to examine the association between the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCoV-19S) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and to examine the effect modification by HL, eHEAL, and DDL on this association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 hospitals across Vietnam from 7 April to 31 May 2020. Data were collected on 4348 outpatients, including demographic characteristics, HL, eHEAL, DDL, FCoV-19S, and HRQoL. Multiple linear regression and interaction models were used to explore associations. Results: Patients with higher FCoV-19S scores had lower HRQoL scores (unstandardized coefficient, B = −0.78, p < 0.001). HL (B = 0.20, p < 0.001), eHEAL (B = 0.24, p < 0.001), and DDL (B = 0.20, p < 0.001) were positively associated with higher HRQoL scores. The negative impact of FCoV-19S on HRQoL was significantly attenuated by higher eHEAL score groups (from one standard deviation (SD) below the mean, B = −0.93, p < 0.001; to the mean, B = −0.85, p < 0.001; and one SD above the mean, B = −0.77, p < 0.001); and by higher DDL score groups (from one SD below the mean, B = −0.92, p < 0.001; to the mean, B = −0.82, p < 0.001; and one SD above the mean, B = −0.72, p < 0.001). Conclusions: eHealth literacy and digital healthy diet literacy could help to protect patients’ health-related quality of life from the negative impact of the fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue eHealth Literacy 2.0)
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20 pages, 556 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 and Health Information Seeking Behavior: Digital Health Literacy Survey amongst University Students in Pakistan
by Rubeena Zakar, Sarosh Iqbal, Muhammad Zakria Zakar and Florian Fischer
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4009; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084009 - 11 Apr 2021
Cited by 76 | Viewed by 10779
Abstract
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, digital health literacy (DHL) has become a significant public health concern. This research aims to assess information seeking behavior, as well as the ability to find relevant information and deal with DHL among university students in Pakistan. An online-based [...] Read more.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, digital health literacy (DHL) has become a significant public health concern. This research aims to assess information seeking behavior, as well as the ability to find relevant information and deal with DHL among university students in Pakistan. An online-based cross-sectional survey, using a web-based interviewing technique, was conducted to collect data on DHL. Simple bivariate and multivariate linear regression was performed to assess the association of key characteristics with DHL. The results show a high DHL related to COVID-19 in 54.3% of students. Most of the Pakistani students demonstrated ~50% DHL in all dimensions, except for reliability. Multivariate findings showed that gender, sense of coherence and importance of information were found to be significantly associated with DHL. However, a negative association was observed with students′ satisfaction with information. This led to the conclusion that critical operational and navigations skills are essential to achieve COVID-19 DHL and cope with stress, particularly to promote both personal and community health. Focused interventions and strategies should be designed to enhance DHL amongst university students to combat the pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue eHealth Literacy 2.0)
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14 pages, 767 KiB  
Article
Health Literacy, Digital Health Literacy, and COVID-19 Pandemic Attitudes and Behaviors in U.S. College Students: Implications for Interventions
by Uday Patil, Uliana Kostareva, Molly Hadley, Jennifer A. Manganello, Orkan Okan, Kevin Dadaczynski, Philip M. Massey, Joy Agner and Tetine Sentell
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063301 - 23 Mar 2021
Cited by 133 | Viewed by 17930
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by rapidly emerging evidence, changing guidance, and misinformation, which present new challenges for health literacy (HL) and digital health literacy (DHL) skills. This study explored whether COVID-19-related information access, attitudes, and behaviors were associated with health literacy [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by rapidly emerging evidence, changing guidance, and misinformation, which present new challenges for health literacy (HL) and digital health literacy (DHL) skills. This study explored whether COVID-19-related information access, attitudes, and behaviors were associated with health literacy and digital health literacy among college students in the United States. Self-reported measures of health literacy, along with items on pandemic-related attitudes, behaviors, information sources, and social networks, were collected online using a managed research panel. In July 2020, 256 responses were collected, which mirrored the racial/ethnic and gender diversity of U.S. colleges. Only 49% reported adequate HL, and 57% found DHL tasks easy overall. DHL did not vary by HL level. In multivariable models, both HL and DHL were independently associated with overall compliance with basic preventive practices. Higher DHL, but not HL, was significantly associated with greater willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine and the belief that acquiring the disease would negatively impact their life. On average, respondents discussed health with 4–5 people, which did not vary by HL or DHL measures. The usage of online information sources varied by HL and DHL. The study findings can inform future student-focused interventions, including identifying the distinct roles of HL and DHL in pandemic information access, attitudes, and behaviors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue eHealth Literacy 2.0)
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