Perceived and Performed eHealth Literacy: Survey and Simulated Performance Test

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Digital Health
• Health Literacy Research

Background:

• Electronic health (eHealth) literacy is crucial for effective consumer use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for health.
• However, the actual performance of eHealth literacy skills is understudied.
• This study addresses this gap by assessing both perceived and performed eHealth literacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between perceived and performed eHealth literacies among older adults.
• To understand how different facets of eHealth literacy skills relate to each other.

Main Methods:

• Study included 82 Israeli adults aged 50 and older.
• Participants completed surveys and a computer simulation of health-related Internet tasks.
• Assessed performed, perceived (eHEALS), and evaluated eHealth literacy, with performance scored for task completion and researcher-evaluated factors.

Main Results:

• Successful completion rates decreased across skills from accessing to generating information.
• Perceived and performed eHealth literacies were moderately correlated (r=.34).
• Low performers were older, less experienced with the internet, and less confident than high performers.

Conclusions:

• The moderate correlation necessitates separate assessment of performed eHealth literacy.
• Assessment in clinical settings should be structured, shortened, and automated for accuracy.
• Understanding performed eHealth literacy is key to improving digital health engagement.