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Cited by 2,643Health Literacy and Information AccessibilityTechnology Use by Older AdultsICT in Developing Communities

eHealth Literacy: Essential Skills for Consumer Health in a Networked World.

Open access
Norman, Cameron D, Skinner, Harvey A·2006·Journal of Medical Internet Research
DOI 10.2196/jmir.8.2.e9PMC PMC1550701
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Abstract

Electronic health tools provide little value if the intended users lack the skills to effectively engage them. With nearly half the adult population in the United States and Canada having literacy levels below what is needed to fully engage in an information-rich society, the implications for using information technology to promote health and aid in health care, or for eHealth, are considerable. Engaging with eHealth requires a skill set, or literacy, of its own. The concept of eHealth literacy is introduced and defined as the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem. In this paper, a model of eHealth literacy is introduced, comprised of multiple literacy types, including an outline of a set of fundamental skills consumers require to derive direct benefits from eHealth. A profile of each literacy type with examples of the problems patient-clients might present is provided along with a resource list to aid health practitioners in supporting literacy improvement with their patient-clients across each domain. Facets of the model are illustrated through a set of clinical cases to demonstrate how health practitioners can address eHealth literacy issues in clinical or public health practice. Potential future applications of the model are discussed.

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  • DHL varies among people depending on literacy levels, socioeconomic status, presenting health issues, motivation to seek online information, and familiarity with technology and electronic gadgets.

    “DHL varies among people depending on their literacy levels and socioeconomic status, presenting health issues, motivation to seek online information, and familiarity with technology and electronic gadgets [11, 13].”

    From Digital health literacy, online information-seeking behaviour, and satisfaction of Covid-19 information among the university students of East and South-East Asia (2022) · cites this paper as [11]

    The Lily Model section says eHealth literacy is influenced by a person’s presenting health issue, educational background, health status, motivation for seeking information, and technologies used. The Access Barriers and Computer Literacy sections also discuss literacy, income, and access to technology, but the paper does not specifically establish socioeconomic status as a determinant of eHealth literacy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 15

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  12. [27]Skinner Harvey Biscope Sherry Poland Blake Goldberg Eudice How adolescents use technology for health information: implications for health professionals from focus group studies J Med Internet Res 2003 12 18 5 4 e32 14713660 10.2196/jmir.5.4.e32 14713660 PMC1550577 · DOI
  13. [29]Claeson B Martin E Richardson W Schoch-Spana M Taussig K-S Scientific literacy: what it is, why it is important, and why scientists think we don't have it. In: Nader L, editor. Naked Science: Anthropological Inquiry into Boundaries, Power, and Knowledge 1996 New York Routledge 101 116
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  15. [45]Davis Dave Evans Mike Jadad Alex Perrier Laure Rath Darlyne Ryan David Sibbald Gary Straus Sharon Rappolt Susan Wowk Maria Zwarenstein Merrick The case for knowledge translation: shortening the journey from evidence to effect BMJ 2003 7 5 327 7405 33 5 12842955 10.1136/bmj.327.7405.33 327/7405/33 22726066 PMC164240 · DOI

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Authors
Norman, C. D., & Skinner, H. A.
Affiliations
  • University Health Network (CA)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
Corresponding author
Norman, Cameron D
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Publisher
JMIR Publications Inc.
Published
2006-06-16
Volume
8
Issue
2
Pages
e9
ISSN
1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2196/jmir.8.2.e9
PMC
PMC1550701
OpenAlex
W2150353123
Cited by
2,643
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 482 · 2025: 344 · 2024: 280 · 2023: 259 · 2022: 268 · 2021: 184 · 2020: 167 · 2019: 128 · 2018: 100 · 2017: 96 · 2016: 75 · 2015: 60 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 40
FWCI
2.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • TSpace (University of Toronto) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Health Canada
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › ICT in Developing Communities
Keywords
digital health literacy, health information literacy, consumer health, health information seeking, health information appraisal, patient-clinician communication, clinical case, public health practice
MeSH terms
Computer Communication Networks, Computer Literacy, Health Education, Health Promotion, Humans, Internet, Information Dissemination

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