Internet skills performance tests: are people ready for eHealth?

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Informatics
• eHealth Literacy

Background:

• The digital divide includes disparities in internet skills, termed eHealth literacy.
• Traditional self-assessments may not accurately capture internet proficiency.
• This study utilizes performance tests to evaluate multifaceted internet skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the general population's readiness for eHealth.
• To measure four distinct types of internet skills through performance-based tasks.
• To evaluate subjects' ability to complete health-related online assignments.

Main Methods:

• 88 randomly selected subjects participated between November 2009 and February 2010.
• A quota sample balanced for gender, age, and education was employed.
• Internet skills assessed included operational, formal, information, and strategic, measured by task completion and time.

Main Results:

• Successful completion rates varied: 73% for operational, 73% for formal, 50% for information, and 35% for strategic skills.
• Fewer than 40% of subjects completed all tasks in any skill category.
• Age and education significantly impacted operational and formal skills; education was key for information and strategic skills.

Conclusions:

• The general population demonstrates insufficient internet skills for the growing online health landscape.
• Information and strategic internet skills are particularly lacking, crucial for health management.
• There is a strong need for policies to enhance public internet skills, addressing gaps across all age groups.