eHealth literacy 2.0: problems and opportunities with an evolving concept.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Informatics
• Public Health

Background:

• The increasing global adoption of eHealth necessitates a deeper understanding of eHealth literacy.
• eHealth literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills required to effectively use information and communication technologies (ICT) for health.
• Existing models of eHealth literacy may not fully capture the complexities of the current digital health landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the growing importance of eHealth literacy in the context of evolving digital health technologies.
• To identify the need for a revised understanding and assessment of eHealth literacy.
• To propose a re-examination of the original Lily Model of eHealth literacy in light of Web 2.0 advancements.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of eHealth literacy in the context of technological evolution.
• Review of the original Lily Model and its assessment scale.
• Consideration of the impact of Web 2.0 tools and social media on the digital health information landscape.

Main Results:

• The rapid evolution of the internet, particularly with Web 2.0, has significantly altered the information environment.
• The original eHealth literacy model and scale were developed prior to the widespread use of social media.
• There is a clear need to update the conceptualization and assessment of eHealth literacy.

Conclusions:

• The dynamic nature of eHealth and the digital landscape necessitates a re-evaluation of eHealth literacy.
• A revised model of eHealth literacy is required to address current technological realities.
• Future research should focus on developing an updated framework and assessment tools for eHealth literacy.