Chronic Patients’ eHealth Literacy Skills and Related Factors: The Example of Turkey (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alp Eren Yuce ◽  
Ahmet Albayrak
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Literacy Scores ◽  
Health Information Sources

BACKGROUND Previous studies on the eHealth suggested that chronic patients use the internet to obtain health information and to manage their health conditions. It has been revealed, particularly during the pandemic, that the internet has a significant potential to become a crucial health information source for chronic patients. However, there are both fluctuant and constant factors that influence the various eHealth literacy skills of chronic patients. It is critical to discover the current parameters influencing eHealth literacy skills in countries such as Turkey, which is in the process of adapting technology use, while eHealth literacy is gaining attention globally. OBJECTIVE This study aims to reveal the eHealth literacy skills of chronic patients and to investigate the relations and patterns between eHealth literacy skills and various factors such as demographics, search strategies and health information sources, and to explain their effects on eHealth literacy in Turkey in Izmir. METHODS The study, based on a quantitative research, including the administration of a questionnaire. A total of 604 chronic patients who applied to the five popular identified hospitals in Izmir, Turkey, responded to the questionnaire. The questionnaire, which includes information on demographics, social media platforms, internet usage frequency, eHealth literacy scale, search strategies scale, and health information sources scale, was conducted with the participants. CHAID analysis method was implemented to analyze the results and determine the relations between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS The type of the social media platform used by participants was an influencing factor on eHealth literacy scores. Finding health information across multiple platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, was found to be a positive predictor of eHealth literacy. (25.3%, 153 patients). Additionally, a positive correlation has been found between the use of the internet as a source of health information and eHealth literacy scores while using the strategy of “following the links that appear on websites” is positively correlated with eHealth literacy scores. CONCLUSIONS The study's findings indicate that using the internet and various social media platforms to obtain health information has a positive effect on eHealth literacy skills. Patients with greater interaction with the internet and its substructures, as well as a greater interest in utilizing the technological features of digital environments, were found to be more qualified eHealth literates. However, given the pollution of health information on the Internet, the information channel through which health information is obtained is also a critical issue in terms of health literacy. Online health knowledge should be scientifically promoted by medical institutions or governmental organizations in order to be widely and effectively disseminated, particularly in countries such as Turkey.

Role of factors in eHealth literacy in period of COVID-19: a study of Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alp Eren Yuce ◽  
Ahmet Albayrak ◽  
Bahar Baran ◽  
Özgür Kalafat
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Literacy Scores ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
Health Information Sources

PurposeThis study aims to understand the eHealth literacy skills of chronic patients and to explore the relations, patterns between eHealth literacy skills and different factors such as demographics, search strategies and health information sources and to explain their effects on eHealth literacy in Turkey in Izmir in COVID-19 outbreak.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative method was used in the study including a questionnaire. A total of 604 chronic patients responded to the questionnaire who applied the five popularly identified hospitals in Izmir in Turkey. CHAID analysis method was implemented to explore the strongest correlation between eHealth literacy and independent variables.FindingsUsing different social media types were correlated with patients’ eHealth literacy scores. Using Facebook, Twitter were the supportive predictors for the eHealth literacy scores. However, digital literacy was highly important for eHealth literacy.Originality/valueThis study shows that the social media channels which provides much more information such as Facebook and Twitter for the chronic patient. This could be beneficial for the eHealth tools and social media content developers in terms of the supply of health information. Moreover, the study gives ideas about the effect of digital literacy and the importance of health information provided.

scholarly journals Marketing To Health Information Seekers: A Critical Look At The Principal Assumptions

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Altan Erdem
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Healthcare Industry ◽  
Medical Issues ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Information Sources ◽  
The Web

As the Internet gained more significance in various dimensions of our lives and dealings with others, it was just a matter of time for the world of healthcare to incorporate the Internet-use into its routines.  We are now seeing tangible examples of this use in many facets of healthcare industry.  Both providers and patients have been pursuing Internet-related strategies, remedies, routines, and etc. for a while now.  It has been stated that majority of the Americans who are online are looking for health information.  Healthcare information is accessed more than sports, stocks, and shopping.  Some believe that this growing use of online health information sources is able to bridge the gap between what patients know and what they are told.  In other words, these patients can visit their physicians armed with knowledge obtained on the Web and pursue rather educated discussions with their physicians about their medical issues.  Of course, this is true based on the assumptions that the websites that these patients use provide accurate information and the patients comprehend this information properly.  The purpose of this paper is to very briefly review some of the ongoing trends in this field and review the practicality of the two assumptions listed above.  It is hoped that inquiries like this result in a better understanding of the components required for a proper use of online options to improve the efficiency of healthcare practices.

scholarly journals Community health information sources — a survey in three disparate communities

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared Dart ◽  
Cindy Gallois ◽  
Peter Yellowlees
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Striking Difference ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
Local Doctor ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Sources Of Health Information ◽  
Health Information Sources

Objective: To determine the current utilisation, importance, trust and future preference for contemporary sources of health information in three different socioeconomic groups. Design: A pilot study including key informant interviews and direct observation was conducted in a low socioeconomic community. From this work a survey questionnaire was designed and implemented across three different communities. Participants and setting: Semi-structured key informant interviews and focus groups capturing 52 respondents. Paper-based surveys were left in community organisations and local health practices in a low socioeconomic (LSE) community on the outskirts of Ipswich, Queensland, a mid-high socioeconomic (MSE) community in the western suburbs of Brisbane, and at a local university. Main outcome measures: Rank of current and preferred future sources of health information, importance and trustworthiness of health information sources. Results: Across all three communities the local doctor was the most currently used, important, trusted and preferred future source of health information. The most striking difference between the three communities related to the current use and preferred future use of the internet. The internet was a more currently used source of health information and more important source in the university population than the LSE or MSE populations. It was also a less preferred source of future health information in the LSE population than the MSE or university populations. Importantly, currently used sources of health information did not reflect community members? preferred sources of health information. Conclusions: People in different socioeconomic communities obtain health information from various sources. This may reflect access issues, education and awareness of the internet as a source of health information, less health information seeking as well as a reluctance by the e-health community to address the specific needs of this group.

scholarly journals Media Use by Older Adults With Hearing Loss: An Exploratory Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinaya Manchaiah ◽  
Monica L. Bellon-Harn ◽  
Rebecca J. Kelly-Campbell ◽  
Eldré W. Beukes ◽  
Abram Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Electronic Media ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Hearing Health

Objectives There has been a substantial increase in people with health conditions seeking health-related information online. The aim of this study was to examine the media usage by older adults with hearing loss. Method The study used a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 556 older adults with hearing loss (Hearing Tracker website users) completed the survey that was focused on (a) demographic information, (b) general electronic media usage, (c) sources of hearing health information, and (d) social media use for hearing health information. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results When seeking hearing health care information, the majority of the participants turned to the Internet (54%) followed by health professionals (34%) as the first response to their symptoms. Both sources were also rated as the easiest means of obtaining hearing health information. The information from health care providers was rated as more reliable and important for decision making than that from the Internet. Facebook and YouTube were the most frequently used social media platforms with over 40% of the respondents using them “most of the time” or “sometimes.” All the social media platforms were rated less favorably than other sources for ease of finding information, reliability, and importance in decision making. Conclusion Older adults with hearing loss use various forms of electronic media for seeking hearing health information. They place the most trust on the information obtained from hearing health care professionals. These professionals need to be aware of the quality of information available on the Internet and social media sources in order to direct patients to credible sources. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12170397

scholarly journals Filipino Nursing Students' eHealth Literacy and Criteria Used for Selection of Health Websites

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Michael Flores Oducado ◽  
Rome B. Moralista
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Reported Data

Possessing eHealth literacy skills among students has been increasingly appreciated in nursing education. Despite eHealth literacy has been widely studied, little published research is available regarding Filipino nursing students’ eHealth literacy. This study aimed to determine the self-reported eHealth literacy of Filipino nursing students and the relative importance of the criteria they use when selecting health websites. A cross-sectional research design was used involving 66 conveniently chosen nursing students. Self-reported data were collected using adopted questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rho. Findings revealed that nursing students had high eHealth literacy. The utility of information and accuracy of information were the top criteria students consider important when selecting health websites. There were no significant differences in the eHealth literacy of male and female and first-year and second-year nursing students. The extent of Internet use for health information, perceived usefulness of the Internet when making health decisions, and perceived importance to access health resources on the Internet were significantly correlated with eHealth literacy. To derive full benefit from online health information, nursing students’ literacy needs in the Web context and digital environment must be given attention.

scholarly journals Sources and Reasons for Seeking Health Information by Lithuanian Adults

Medicina ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiva Marazienė ◽  
Jūratė Klumbienė ◽  
Jūratė Tomkevičiūtė ◽  
Irena Misevičienė
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sources Of Health Information ◽  
Lower Education ◽  
Health Information Sources ◽  
Health Monitor

The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of Lithuanian adults aged 20–64 years toward the reasons for accessing health information and to determine the main health information sources and their relation to sociodemographic factors. Material and Methods. The data for this study were gathered in 2008 within the framework of the International Project Finbalt Health Monitor evaluating health behavior in a Lithuanian adult population. Results. More than half of respondents searched for health information during the last year. Men were 2.7 times more likely to trust friends and family as a health information source compared with women. For each 1-year increase in age, the odds of using friends and family, and the Internet as the main sources of health information decreased, while the odds of using people with the same condition and different means of media increased. Marital status was associated with greater trust in health professionals and the Internet as health information sources. Higher education was positively associated with more frequent reporting courses and lectures, and the Internet as the sources of health information, while those with lower education preferred television and radio. Conclusions. This study revealed the characteristics of the “risk group” in terms of the sources of health information that people, assigned to it, tend to use, and it is especially important when providing health information.

Neither the Internist Nor the Internet: Use of and Trust in Health Information Sources by People with Schizophrenia

2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 489-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Maguire ◽  
Rebecca E. Reay ◽  
Jeffrey C.L. Looi ◽  
Jeff Cubis ◽  
Gerard J. Byrne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Sources

scholarly journals Older Adult Internet Use and eHealth Literacy

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Arcury ◽  
Joanne C. Sandberg ◽  
Kathryn P. Melius ◽  
Sara A. Quandt ◽  
Xiaoyan Leng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Medical Decision Making ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Health Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Health Information Sources

We examine Internet use and eHealth literacy among older adults (aged 55+ years) who were patients at clinics serving low-income populations. Participants included 200 minority and White adults who completed interviews based on a technology acceptance conceptual model. A total of 106 participants (53.0%) used the Internet; utilization was associated with personal characteristics (age, ethnicity, education, poverty), computer characteristics (number of e-devices, computer stress), social support (marital status), and health knowledge and attitudes (health literacy, medical decision making, health information sources), but not health status. Of the 106 participants who used the Internet, 52 (49.1%) had high eHealth literacy; eHealth literacy was associated with computer characteristics (number of e-devices, computer stress), and health knowledge and attitudes (medical decision making, health information sources). In multivariate analysis, computer stress maintained a significant inverse association with eHealth literacy. Educational interventions to help older adults successfully use technology and improve eHealth literacy must be identified.

scholarly journals Trust in Health Information Sources: Survey Analysis of Variation by Sociodemographic and Tobacco Use Status in Oklahoma (Preprint)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cati G Brown-Johnson ◽  
Lindsay M Boeckman ◽  
Ashley H White ◽  
Andrea D Burbank ◽  
Sjonna Paulson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health Information Sources

BACKGROUND Modern technology (ie, websites and social media) has significantly changed social mores in health information access and delivery. Although mass media campaigns for health intervention have proven effective and cost-effective in changing health behavior at a population scale, this is best studied in traditional media sources (ie, radio and television). Digital health interventions are options that use short message service/text messaging, social media, and internet technology. Although exposure to these products is becoming ubiquitous, electronic health information is novel, incompletely disseminated, and frequently inaccurate, which decreases public trust. Previous research has shown that audience trust in health care providers significantly moderates health outcomes, demographics significantly influence audience trust in electronic media, and preexisting health behaviors such as smoking status significantly moderate audience receptivity to traditional mass media. Therefore, modern health educators must assess audience trust in all sources, both media (traditional and digital) and interpersonal, to balance pros and cons before structuring multicomponent community health interventions. OBJECTIVE We aimed to explore current trust and moderators of trust in health information sources given recent changes in digital health information access and delivery to inform design of future health interventions in Oklahoma. METHODS We conducted phone surveys of a cross-sectional sample of 1001 Oklahoma adults (age 18-65 years) in spring 2015 to assess trust in seven media sources: traditional (television and radio), electronic (online and social media), and interpersonal (providers, insurers, and family/friends). We also gathered information on known moderators of trust (sociodemographics and tobacco use status). We modeled log odds of a participant rating a source as “trustworthy” (SAS PROC SURVEYLOGISTIC), with subanalysis for confounders (sociodemographics and tobacco use). RESULTS Oklahomans showed the highest trust in interpersonal sources: 81% (808/994) reported providers were trustworthy, 55% (550/999) for friends and family, and 48% (485/998) for health insurers. For media sources, 24% of participants (232/989) rated the internet as trustworthy, followed by 21% of participants for television (225/998), 18% for radio (199/988), and only 11% for social media (110/991). Despite this low self-reported trust in social media, 40% (406/991) of participants reported using social media for tobacco-related health information. Trust in health providers did not vary by subpopulation, but sociodemographic variables (gender, income, and education) and tobacco use status significantly moderated trust in other sources. Women were on the whole more trusting than men, trust in media decreased with income, and trust in friends and family decreased with education. CONCLUSIONS Health education interventions should incorporate digital media, particularly when targeting low-income populations. Utilizing health care providers in social media settings could leverage high-trust and low-cost features of providers and social media, respectively.

scholarly journals Assessing the eHealth literacy skills of family caregivers of medically ill elderly

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Soleimaninejad ◽  
Saeideh Valizadeh-Haghi ◽  
Shahabedin Rahmatizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Medically Ill ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Elderly Health

Objectives: The purpose of current research is to assess the eHealth literacy level in the family caregivers of the elderly with hypertension and type-II diabetes. Methods: A total of 160 caregivers completed the eHEALS questionnaire. The effect of participants' gender, education, and age on eHealth literacy was evaluated. For evaluation of the correlation between the accession of health information importance and the internet usefulness for decision-making, Spearman’s correlation coefficient was applied.Results: The participants eHealth literacy mean score was 26.163(SD=8.83). The age of participants had a meaningful impact on the level of eHealth literacy (t=6.074; P<0.001). Furthermore, among variant education levels in terms of eHealth literacy score significant differences existed (F=5.222; P=0.001).Discussion: Family caregivers have a poor level of eHealth literacy. eHealth information is more important for family caregivers with a higher eHealth literacy, which may be due to their higher skills in obtaining health and medical information from the internet. Caregivers' age should be considered once recommending them for the internet using to obtain health information, as the age was an affecting factor. Conclusion: Health centers and authorities in charge of the elderly health are recommended to train caregivers with proper skills to use online health information, such that the elderly enjoy the benefits, including improved care conditions and savings in terms of treatment costs and time.

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