Factors Influencing eHealth Literacy among Spanish Primary Healthcare Users: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Adequate eHealth literacy levels empower people to make informed decisions, enhancing their autonomy. The current study assessed a group using primary care services for their eHealth literacy and examined its relationship with sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: Adult patients in need of primary care nursing services participated in this cross-sectional study, which was carried out in a healthcare center in the Madrid region of Spain. Through systematic random sampling, 166 participants were chosen for the study. The eHealth Literacy Questionnaire was used to assess eHealth literacy (eHLQ). Results: The studied population showed higher eHealth literacy scores in dimensions 2 (“understanding of health concepts and language”) and 4 (“feel safe and in control”); the lowest scores were recorded for dimensions 1 (“using technology to process health information”), 3 (“ability to actively engage with digital services”), and 7 (“digital services that suit individual needs”). People with completed secondary education and a better-perceived health status who were younger and employed showed a higher level of eHealth literacy. Conclusions: The findings advance our knowledge of the variables affecting eHealth literacy. We may be able to understand patients’ needs and provide them with greater support if we can pinpoint the areas where they demonstrate the lowest eHealth literacy.

Digital health literacy and associated factors among internet users from China: a cross-sectional study

“…The DHL scores examined in this study varied by such personal characteristics as age, educational level, and sex. Age was negatively associated with DHL scores, which aligns with previous studie s[ 29 , 46 ]. While internet use for seniors is becoming increasingly common, especially for those seniors who use the internet, the internet is a trusted source of health-related informatio n[ 63 ], compared with “digital natives” (i.e., those who have grown up in the digital era), Seniors still face more barriers and challenges in using technology for health information than do younger adults, due to the cognitive, motor, and sensory declines associated with agin g[ 48 , 64 – 66 ].…”

Evaluation of an mHealth App on Self-Management of Osteoporosis: Prospective Survey Study

“…This suggests that our findings are representative of Danish patients with chronic diseases. A Spanish study investigating electronic health literacy in 166 primary care patients, with a median age of 65 (52-78) years, revealed somewhat lower eHLQ scores ranging from 1.7 to 2.8 across the 7 domains [ 21 ]. An Australian study of 525 patients at 3 primary care clinics, with a mean age of 56.7, showed eHLQ scores ranging from 2.4 to 3.0 [ 22 ].…”