Digital Health Literacy

Digital health literacy is the ability to search, understand, and evaluate health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem (WHO). It can be regarded as the convergence of digital literacy and health literacy.

Digital literacy and internet connectivity have recently been acknowledged as the super social determinant of health as they have implications on all social determinants of health (“SDoH”) (NLM). Similar to other SDoH, digital health literacy is also shaped by economic, environmental, cultural, and societal factors.

People living in poor socio-economic conditions may have less access to the internet and less ability to use the information which leads to their digital exclusion. The gap between those who are excluded and those who benefit from technology is known as the digital divide.

As digitisation increases in health care setup and delivery, digital divide becomes more and more noticeable (NEJM). The effect of which was already felt during the pandemic. It’s impossible to achieve health care without including the most disadvantageous communities and ensuring their access to and use of digital tools.

Digital divide

According to the United Nations, almost half the world’s population, 3.7 billion people, lack internet access, and majority of them are women (UN). Lack of digital connectivity is especially prevalent in Least Developed Countries (“LDCs”), where more than 80% of the population are still offline.

Less than 20 out of 100 people in LDCs use the internet, compared with 55 in other developing countries and 85 in developed countries (UNCTAD). Along with the lack of internet access, low health literacy also served as a barrier to use the internet to gather health information.

Digital technologies have transforming potential, but they can create inequalities as well. Unfortunately, COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this inequality. People in LDCs have been unable to access essential health care information during the pandemic. With the absence of internet access, people couldn’t benefit from remote education and remote work.

Collective action is the way forward to attain digital connectedness for all. Major countries have the organizing capabilities and resources to make and implement international rules and norms regarding internet access. At the same time, wider improvement in education and social inclusion can assist in bridging the digital divide at global level.

This article was published as part of Public Health Pathways monthly newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter by clicking on the link. https://publichealthpathways.org/

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