Health Literacy: Essential Skills for Consumer Health in a Networked World
2006
Understanding eHealth Literacy
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Norman Cameron D, Harvey A Skinner
Primary Institution: Centre for Global eHealth Innovation
Hypothesis
How does literacy affect engagement with electronic health resources?
Conclusion
The study highlights the importance of eHealth literacy in effectively using electronic health tools.
Supporting Evidence
- Nearly half the adult population in the US and Canada has literacy levels below what is needed to engage with eHealth.
- eHealth literacy combines traditional literacy, health literacy, information literacy, scientific literacy, media literacy, and computer literacy.
- The gap between available eHealth resources and consumer skills must be addressed to improve public health.
Takeaway
People need to know how to read and use the internet to get health information. If they don't, they might miss out on important health tools.
Limitations
The study does not specify the demographics of participants or the geographical scope of the findings.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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