Digital Health Literacy Screening Tool Can Help Close Care Gaps

To assess digital literacy across various populations, a study published in JMIR Formative Research developed and tested a three-item screening tool that could help identify individuals who do not benefit from virtual care services provided.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, using care modalities such as telehealth, patient portals, and mobile health to serve patients has become more common. But lack of digital health literacy can be a barrier.

The study intended to evaluate the efficacy of a tool that measures digital health literacy. Study participants included caregivers of children who received care at a pediatric clinic who were surveyed.

The study included 508 participants, of whom 89.4 percent were women. The average participant age was 34.7 years. Just over half, or 55.1 percent, defined English as a primary language, and 45 percent had a high school degree or less.

Researchers reported that 4.9 percent did not own a smartphone, 37.6 percent did not own a laptop, 78.9 percent did not own a desktop computer, and 5.9 percent claimed they did not have internet access.

About 41.5 percent of survey respondents claimed to have not used a health app.

After conducting an exploratory factor analysis, researchers determined the three items that make up their Digital Health Literacy Scale:

• I can use applications/programs on my cell phone, computer, or another electronic device on my own (without asking for help from someone else)
• I can set up a video chat using my cell phone, computer, or another electronic device on my own (without asking for help from someone else)
• I can solve or figure out how to solve basic technical issues on my own (without asking for help from someone else)

The researchers found that the scale was positively associated with education and income. Arabic and Spanish speakers had lower scores than English speakers, and participants who did not own a smartphone or laptop computer had lower scores than those who owned these devices.

"A screening tool such as the Digital Health Care Literacy Scale could be a useful resource to identify patients who require additional assistance to use digital health services and help ensure health equity," researchers concluded.

But researchers did acknowledge certain limitations of the study, mainly relating to the cross-sectional collection of data, the inclusion of a younger population, and limited variation in languages spoken among patients.

Research has recently shone a harsh light on problems relating to digital literacy within the virtual care arena.

In November 2021, a study from the University of Pennsylvania showed that while virtual care for opioid use disorder was effective, those with lower digital literacy scores suffered.

A July 2021 program attempted to tackle the digital divide by helping seniors learn how to use telehealth tools. The program, supported by the South Carolina Department on Aging and the national nonprofit Rural Local Initiative Support Corporation, provided seniors with a tablet and free services for a year, giving them access to digital literacy classes.