The Relationship Between Digital Literacy and Cyberchondria

2022 ◽  
pp. 298-311
Author(s):  
Ali Murat Kırık ◽  
Ahmet Çetinkaya
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
True Value ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
Health Related

Cyberchondria refers to the state of performing repeated and excessive health-related searches on the internet leading to elevated levels of distress or health anxiety. It may have unpleasant consequences such as heightened anxiety, overwhelming information load, and troubled patient-physician relationship. To overcome the negative effects of cyberchondria, several strategies were suggested in the literature. In this chapter, enhancing digital and health literacy skills is presented as an important approach for tackling with undesirable effects of excessive health-related internet use. Basic dimensions of digital literacy are pointed out, as well as digital literacy skills. Health literacy is defined and reviewed in digital literacy framework. E-health literacy is associated with digital literacy. Searching the internet for medical information would deliver its true value through improved digital and health literacy skills. Individuals would accurately evaluate online health information, properly interpret the search results, and take the reasonable steps in applying the acquired knowledge.

scholarly journals Online reading comprehension: challenges and opportunities

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 30-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Coiro
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Special Kind ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Digital Culture ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Reading ◽  
Online Reading Comprehension ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
On Line

ABSTRACT: This paper details a number of challenges and opportunities for today’s learners when reading for information on the Internet. After defining online reading comprehension from a new literacies perspective and how it appears to be different than offline reading comprehension, I highlight details about four of the biggest challenges for today’s learners. These include 1) understanding and becoming proficient with the new literacy skills and practices needed for online research; 2) developing a special kind of digital wisdom that focuses on learning how to learn with the Internet; 3) taking on new roles in a digital culture that expects learners to actively participate and contribute with new knowledge as a member of their community; and 4) developing positive attitudes toward using the Internet for academic work. The second part of the paper shares examples of how skilled online readers can use the steps of online inquiry to think more deeply about topics that interest them; develop a personal voice as they share ideas with others; and work collaboratively to build meaning and new digital products that enable them to make a difference in their world, or matter. You can explore the research and resources from this presentation in more depth at <http://coiroevidosol.wikispaces.com/>.KEYWORDS: online reading comprehension; online inquiry; digital literacy; reading on the Internet; online readers. RESUMO:Este artigo detalha alguns desafios e oportunidades para o aprendiz contemporâneo, quando ele lê para obter informações na Internet. Depois de definir a compreensão da leitura online pela perspectiva dos novos letramentos e de mostrar como ela parece se diferir da leitura do impresso, eu destaco detalhes a respeito de quatro dos maiores desafios para os aprendizes na atualidade. Eles incluem: 1) compreender e se tornar proficiente nas habilidades dos novos letramentos e nas práticas necessárias para a pesquisa na Internet; 2) desenvolver um tipo especial de conhecimento digital que focaliza o aprender a aprender com a Internet; 3) a assumir novos papéis na cultura digital que espera que alunos, como membros de uma comunidade, participem ativamente e contribuam com ela trazendo novos conhecimentos; e 4) o desenvolvimento de atitudes positivas em relação ao uso da Internet para o trabalho acadêmico. Na segunda parte do artigo compartilho exemplos de como leitores de Internet habilidosos podem usar as etapas da pesquisa online para pensar mais profundamente sobre temas que interessam a eles; como podem desenvolver sua própria voz quando eles trocam idéias com outras pessoas; e de como eles podem trabalhar de forma colaborativa para construir sentidos e produtos digitais que lhes permitam fazer a diferença em seu mundo, ou naquele assunto. Você pode explorar a pesquisa e os recursos usados nesta apresentação de forma mais aprofundada no <http://coiroevidosol.wikispaces.com/>.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: compreensão da leitura on-line; pesquisa on-line; letramento digital; leitura na Internet; leitores online.

scholarly journals Training Of Information Technology In West Java Sumedang-Regional Library As An Effort On Digital Literacy Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Neneng Komariah ◽  
Encang Saepudin
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Literacy Education ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
West Java

Background of the study: The Internet has become part of society's daily life. But the phenomenon shows that not all people are Able to use information technology and the Internet efficiently, and the information disseminated through the internet is not entirely quality information. Therefore, Internet users need digital literacy skills, that is the ability to use information technology efficiently and the ability to find, Evaluate, use, make information, and use it wisely, and lawfully. The problem is who should be held responsible to digital literacy education for the community. Public libraries can play a role in the digital literacy education for the community.Purpose: This study aims to find out how the management of ICT education in the Regional Public Library (PUSDA) of Sumedang Regency, West Java, as an effort for digital literacy education community.Method: The research method used is a qualitative method with descriptive analysis, and the data collection techniques with observation, interviews, focus group discussions, and literature study.Findings: The result shows the subject taught in ICT with the relevant training on participants' needs. The participants are students and jobless. Most of of participants did not have Reviews their own computer, they were very happy to take part in the ICT training in the library because it was free. Teachers are library staff and outside personnel assistance. Computer used are owned by the library and donations from industry. The way of teaching was easy to understand and the participants could practice using computers and search the internet. The PUSDA staff organized the training with enthusiasm.Conclusion: There are some aspects that are already owned by the public library which will support the implementation of digital literacy education effectively and efficiently. Among them is the library already has computer facilities, has a staff of professionals, and already has access to sources of digital information online

scholarly journals Evaluating the Need to Address Digital Literacy Among Hospitalized Patients: Cross-Sectional Observational Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Vollbrecht ◽  
Vineet Arora ◽  
Sebastian Otero ◽  
Kyle Carey ◽  
David Meltzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Hospitalized Patients ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Technology Access ◽  
Adequate Health Literacy ◽  
Gender And Education ◽  
Low Health Literacy ◽  
Health Literacy Level ◽  
Literacy Level

BACKGROUND Technology is a potentially powerful tool to assist patients with transitions of care during and after hospitalization. Patients with low health literacy who are predisposed to poor health outcomes are particularly poised to benefit from such interventions. However, this population may lack the ability to effectively engage with technology. Although prior research studied the role of health literacy in technology access/use among outpatients, hospitalized patient populations have not been investigated in this context. Further, with the rapid uptake of technology, access may no longer be pertinent, and differences in technological capabilities may drive the current digital divide. Thus, characterizing the digital literacy of hospitalized patients across health literacy levels is paramount. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine the relationship between health literacy level and technological access, use, and capability among hospitalized patients. METHODS Adult inpatients completed a technology survey that asked about technology access/use and online capabilities as part of an ongoing quality of care study. Participants’ health literacy level was assessed utilizing the 3-question Brief Health Literacy Screen. Descriptive statistics, bivariate chi-squared analyses, and multivariate logistic regression analyses (adjusting for age, race, gender, and education level) were performed. Using Bonferroni correction for the 18 tests, the threshold <i>P</i> value for significance was &lt;.003. RESULTS Among 502 enrolled participants, the mean age was 51 years, 71.3% (358/502) were African American, half (265/502, 52.8%) were female, and half (253/502, 50.4%) had at least some college education. Over one-third (191/502, 38.0%) of participants had low health literacy. The majority of participants owned devices (owned a smartphone: 116/173, 67.1% low health literacy versus 235/300, 78.3% adequate health literacy, <i>P</i>=.007) and had used the Internet previously (143/189, 75.7% low health literacy versus 281/309, 90.9% adequate health literacy, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). Participants with low health literacy were more likely to report needing help performing online tasks (133/189, 70.4% low health literacy versus 135/303, 44.6% adequate health literacy, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). In the multivariate analysis, when adjusting for age, race, gender, and education level, we found that low health literacy was not significantly associated with a lower likelihood of owning smartphones (OR: 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.4; <i>P</i>=.52) or using the internet ever (OR: 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-0.9; <i>P</i>=.02). However, low health literacy remained significantly associated with a higher likelihood of needing help performing any online task (OR: 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.6; <i>P</i>=.002). CONCLUSIONS The majority of participants with low health literacy had access to technological devices and had used the internet previously, but they were unable to perform online tasks without assistance. The barriers patients face in using online health information and other health information technology may be more related to online capabilities rather than to technology access. When designing and implementing technological tools for hospitalized patients, it is important to ensure that patients across digital literacy levels can both understand and use them.

Cardiac surgery patients’ e-health literacy and their use of a digital portal

2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delvin Khan ◽  
Annette Fjerbæk ◽  
Jan J Andreasen ◽  
Charlotte B Thorup ◽  
Birthe Dinesen
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Cardiac Patients ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Actual Use ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Skills Use

Objective: To determine how cardiac patients use the Activeheart.dk digital toolbox Methods: Mixed-methods study. A total of n = 33 cardiac surgical patients were enrolled in a study, which encouraged use of the Activeheart portal for 4 weeks after discharge. Patients were surveyed with respect to their demographic characteristics, e-health literacy skills, use of the Internet and use of the portal. In addition to the questionnaire survey, qualitative interviews were conducted with six randomly selected patients in order to study users’ experiences with and use of the portal. Results: Quantitative results showed no relation between cardiac patients’ prior e-health literacy skills and their use of the portal. Approximately 25 out of 31 patients stated that they had the skills to seek, locate and use health information on the Internet. Among the 17 patients who completed the first and second questionnaires, nine rarely used Activeheart.dk, four used it several times per month, and four several times per week. In 10 out of 16 replies, Activeheart.dk was rated as relevant or very relevant. Themes from the qualitative interviews revealed that the effects of medication and emotional, physical and cognitive changes had a higher impact on the use of the portal than prior e-health literacy skills. Conclusion: While participants’ e-health literacy skills ratings were high, and while participants stated that the content of the portal was relevant, their actual use of the portal remained limited. No relationship was found between participants’ e-health literacy skills and their use of the portal. Factors such as patient motivation, resources and timing of the intervention’s introduction seemed to be of greater importance.

Interactive Communication Tools for Health Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 827-837
Author(s):  
Machi Suka ◽  
Katsumi Yoshida
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Interactive Communication ◽  
Leading Mode ◽  
Provide Health Education

This chapter introduces an interactive communication tool, the ‘HRA System’. The recent rapid penetration of the Internet has made it a leading mode for gathering and sharing health information. People who access information on the Internet differ considerably in their ‘health literacy’, or the ability to understand and act on health information. The HRA System was developed in an effort to promote health education among people with inadequate health literacy. The system was designed in accordance with the clients’ health literacy skills, as well as the clients’ computer skills. A number of healthcare providers have registered with our research group to provide health education using the HRA System to the general public. The authors provide some ideas regarding how to apply interactive communication technology to health education successfully.

Health Literacy From a Pediatrician's Perspective

2022 ◽  
pp. 251-273
Author(s):  
Nazan Sarper
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Fundamental Education ◽  
Training Activities

Health literacy describes individual's skills to understand and use the information on health issues, compliance to the prescribed therapeutic regimen, prevention of disease and accidents, filtering the information, and making good judgments to maintain a healthy life. Low school education and fundamental education and poverty are barriers to gain health literacy. If TV broadcasts are used optimally for training in health issues, they may reach many people. The density of the active physicians, nurses and midwives, national health coverage, and training activities of the civil associations for chronic disease contribute to health literacy. Controversy exists about the benefits and risks of social media and mass media to health literacy due to information pollution. Self-diagnosis and marketing of under-the-counter drugs are problems of the digital age. Some projects aiming to improve digital health literacy skills will help people to reach reliable health-related information. Communication skills of healthcare professionals are also important.

The effect of sociodemographic characteristics of adolescents on E-Health literacy

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Çınar ◽  
H Boztepe ◽  
H Ozcebe
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Great Part ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
The Status ◽  
Socioeconomic Levels

Abstract Background As a result of having easy access to the internet and mobile devices, a great part of the population uses the internet in order to search for information related to health; therefore, health literacy on the internet has gained importance. Methods The study was conducted in three schools from different socioeconomic levels (low, middle, high) affiliated with the Provincial Directorate of Education in the capital city of Turkey, Ankara city. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 1082 adolescents in the age group of 14 and 18 years, who were studying in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades in the selected schools. The data were collected using a data collection form consisting of questions related to the adolescents and the sociodemographic characteristics of their parents, as well as E-Health Literacy Scale in Adolescents. The predictors of e-health literacy in adolescents were analyzed through linear regression. Results It was found that the e-health literacy mean score of the adolescents was 26.9±7.6 in the study. There was a correlation between e-health literacy and the increase in the age of the adolescent, monthly income of the family, the status of having a computer for the child, the status of reading subjects related to health on the internet, and the status of reading subjects related to their own health on the internet among characteristics of adolescents. In the study, the e-health mean scores of adolescents having high socioeconomic levels were found to be statistically higher (F = 2.153, p &lt; 0.000). Conclusions The results revealed the importance of improving the e-health literacy skills of male adolescents, having low socioeconomic levels and using less internet, in order to have access to online health information effectively. Key messages Training programs suitable for the developmental period of the adolescents should be organized in the school to increase the e-health literacy of adolescents. The adolescents in high socioeconomic status have higher electronic health literacy than the adolescent in low and middle socioeconomic status.

scholarly journals Students' Experiences of Seeking Web-Based Animal Health Information at the Ontario Veterinary College: Exploratory Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanette Lai ◽  
Deep Khosa ◽  
Andria Jones-Bitton ◽  
Cate E Dewey
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

BACKGROUND Although searching for health information on the internet has offered clear benefits of rapid access to information for seekers such as patients, medical practitioners, and students, detrimental effects on seekers’ experiences have also been documented. Health information overload is one such side effect, where an information seeker receives excessive volumes of potentially useful health-related messages that cannot be processed in a timely manner. This phenomenon has been documented among medical professionals, with consequences that include impacts on patient care. Presently, the use of the internet for health-related information, and particularly animal health information, in veterinary students has received far less research attention. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to explore veterinary students’ internet search experiences to understand how students perceived the nature of Web-based information and how these perceptions influence their information management. METHODS For this qualitative exploratory study, 5 separate focus groups and a single interview were conducted between June and October 2016 with a sample of 21 veterinary students in Ontario, Canada. RESULTS Thematic analysis of focus group transcripts demonstrated one overarching theme, <italic>The Overwhelming Nature of the Internet</italic>, depicted by two subthemes: <italic>Volume and Type of Web-based Health Information</italic> and <italic>Processing, Managing, and Evaluating Information</italic>. CONCLUSIONS Integrating electronic health information literacy training into human health sciences students’ training has shown to have positive effects on information management skills. Given a recent Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges report that considers health literacy as a professional competency, results of this study point to a direction for future research and for institutions to contemplate integrating information literacy skills in veterinary curricula. Specifically, we propose that the information literacy skills should include knowledge about access, retrieval, evaluation, and timely application of Web-based information.

scholarly journals Electronic Health Literacy in Individuals with Chronic Pain and Its Association with Psychological Function

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12528
Author(s):  
Elena Castarlenas ◽  
Elisabet Sánchez-Rodríguez ◽  
Rubén Roy ◽  
Catarina Tomé-Pires ◽  
Ester Solé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Pain Interference ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Electronic Health ◽  
The Relationship

Electronic health literacy skills and competences are important for empowering people to have an active role in making appropriate health care decisions. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to (1) examine the frequency of use of the Internet for seeking online information about chronic pain, (2) determine the level of eHealth literacy skills in the study sample, (3) identify the factors most closely associated with higher levels of eHealth literacy, and (4) examine self-efficacy as a potential mediator of the association between eHealth literacy and measures of pain and function in a sample of adults with chronic pain. One-hundred and sixty-one adults with chronic pain completed measures assessing internet use, eHealth literacy, pain interference, anxiety, depression, and pain-related self-efficacy. Results indicated that 70% of the participants are active users of the Internet for seeking information related to their health. The level of eHealth literacy skills was not statistically significantly associated with participants’ age or pain interference but was significantly negatively associated with both anxiety and depression. In addition, the findings showed that self-efficacy fully explained the relationship between eHealth literacy and depression and partially explained the relationship between eHealth literacy and anxiety. Self-efficacy should be considered as a treatment target in eHealth literacy interventions, due to its role in explaining the potential benefits of eHealth literacy.

scholarly journals Examining the Interaction Between Medical Information Seeking Online and Understanding: Exploratory Study

JMIR Cancer ◽  
10.2196/13240 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. e13240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rei Kobayashi ◽  
Masato Ishizaki
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Information Navigation ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Online Information Seeking

Background Online information seeking on medical topics by patients can have beneficial effects by helping them decide on treatment options and fostering better relationships with doctors. The quality of websites and processes of seeking information online have mostly been studied, with a focus on the accuracy and reliability of websites; however, few studies have examined the relationship between other aspects of quality and the processes of seeking medical information online. Objective This exploratory study aimed to shed light on the quality of websites used for information seeking from the perspective of understanding medical information in combination with seeking it online. Methods The study participants were 15 Japanese university students with no problem using the internet. A questionnaire survey about health literacy (47 items on a 4-point Likert scale) and information navigation skills on the internet (8 items on a 5-point Likert scale) was conducted before participants engaged in online information seeking and qualitative interviews. The students searched for information on a disease and its treatment. The websites viewed were gathered from search behavior recorded by software and browser logs. Follow-up interviews were conducted to elicit explanations from the participants about the assignments and their views of online information seeking. The explanations were evaluated by 55 health care professionals on a 3-point Likert scale and then assessed based on their comments and the participant interviews. Results The mean age of the participants was 20.6 years (median 21; SD 1.06). All participants were able to access reliable websites with information relevant to the assignments. The mean ratings of the students’ explanations were 108.6 (median 109; range=83-134) for the disease and 105.6 (median 104; range=87-117) for its treatment. The inter-rater reliability were 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.90) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.97), indicating good and excellent, respectively. The mean of the sum of the health literacy skills was 115.1 (median 115; range=80-166) and the mean for information navigation skills was 25.9 (median 26; range=17-36), respectively. Health literacy and information navigation skills were moderately correlated (r=0.54; 95% CI 0.033-0.822; P=.04). Among the four stages of health literacy, understanding and appraising (r=0.53; 95% CI 0.025-0.820; P=.04) were moderately correlated with information navigation skills (r=0.52; 95% CI 0.013-0.816; P=.046). The participants had no difficulties operating and browsing the internet and considered medical and public institution websites to be reliable; however, due to unfamiliarity with medical terms, they had difficulties choosing a site from the results obtained and comparing and synthesizing information provided by different sites. They also looked for sites providing orderly information in plain language but provided explanations from sites that gave inadequate interpretations of information. Conclusions This study revealed interactions between searching the internet for, and understanding, medical information by analyzing the processes of information seeking online, physicians’ evaluations and comments about the participants’ explanations, and the participants’ perceptions.

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