Screening everyday health information literacy among four populations

Abstract

Background: People face varying obstacles when interacting with health information in their everyday lives. Objectives: This study aims to examine the applicability of a multidimensional Everyday Health Information Literacy (EHIL) screening tool in detecting people with challenges in accessing, understanding, evaluating and using health information in everyday situations. Methods: Previously collected EHIL screening tool data from Finnish upper secondary school students (n = 217), Finnish young men (n = 1450), Finnish adults with an increased risk for metabolic syndrome (n = 559) and Namibian university students (n = 271) were reanalysed to examine the factorial structure of the tool and to compare the groups. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analyses, calculation of mean factor scores and one-way analysis of variance. Results: A three factor structure ('awareness', 'access', 'assessment') for the screening tool was supported based on the Finnish samples. However, the Namibian data did not follow a similar structure. Significant differences in groupwise factor scores were discovered. Discussion: The findings suggest that the multidimensional EHIL screening tool can be used in pointing out areas where individuals or groups may need support. Conclusion: The tool may be useful to health information and library services workers when counselling or educating the public.

Everyday Health Information Literacy and Attitudes Towards Digital Health Services Among Finnish Older Adults

“…It has been applied on different populations, including a variety of age groups and nationalities (e.g. [9][10][11], [37][38][39][40]). EHIL is operationalized as a multidimensional construct, which has three dimensions, namely, Motivation, Confidence and Evaluation.…”

Information behavior and practices research informing information systems design

“…As a concept tightly connected to IBPs, and unique to the field of information science, health information literacy covers competencies relevant in health settings, including those needed to seek, evaluate, understand, and use information. People have been found to face challenges with different aspects of health information literacy (Hirvonen, Enwald, Mayer, et al, 2020). These challenges differ according to individuals' background and life situations (Enwald et al, 2018, Eriksson‐Backa & Nguyen, 2020; Hirvonen, Enwald, Mayer, et al, 2020; Huvila et al, 2019).…”

“…People have been found to face challenges with different aspects of health information literacy (Hirvonen, Enwald, Mayer, et al, 2020). These challenges differ according to individuals' background and life situations (Enwald et al, 2018, Eriksson‐Backa & Nguyen, 2020; Hirvonen, Enwald, Mayer, et al, 2020; Huvila et al, 2019). Beside the already mentioned issues, the importance of the comprehensibility of information content has been emphasized in IBP research (Baudendistel et al, 2015; Eriksson‐Backa et al, 2021), suggesting that health information could be provided on different levels of complexity and scope in ISs (cf.…”

Keterampilan literasi informasi sebagai upaya pencegahan hoaks mengenai informasi kesehatan di media sosial

“…Literasi informasi kesehatan masih dikaitkan dengan hasil kesehatan yang buruk dan penggunaan pelayanan kesehatan yang kurang optimal (Trivedi, Kossakowski, Berneis, Tischler, & Daluiski, 2016). Individu dalam mencari informasi kesehatan sendiri membutuhkan tiga faktor utama, di antaranya kesadaran, akses, dan penilaian (Hirvonen et al, 2020), yang semuanya terdapat dalam keahlian literasi informasi.…”