Decoding e-health literacy among Palestinian adolescents: a qualitative study in the West bank

Electronic health (e-health) literacy assists adolescents in seeking accurate and valid information. In this study, we aim to understand e-health literacy among Palestinian adolescents, by exploring their skills and online information-seeking strategies and understanding the socio-demographic influences.

A qualitative study was conducted through seven semi-structured, face-to-face focus group discussions with 52 adolescents aged 15-19 from five districts in the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Participants were selected using maximum variation sampling. Data was collected from January to March 2024, with each focus group consisting of 6 to 9 participants. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

E-health literacy among Palestinian adolescents is influenced by individual, system, and interaction aspects. Individually, set of skills, including the ability to recognize misleading content, is a key milestone. At the system level, adolescents prefer direct communication with experts and rely on search engines like Google, verifying information through various strategies. Political instability and economic challenges shape how adolescents' perceptions of health information and their interaction with online health resources, influencing how they engage with and trust digital health information. Our results were presented in four main themes: Adolescents' knowledge and influencing factors, the internet, its platforms, and available resources, approaches and strategies for seeking health information online, and challenges and the impact of limited E-health literacy on adolescents.

Palestinian adolescents are aware of the skills needed to navigate online health information, employing various strategies to read and verify information through different approaches. However, their e-health literacy and access are shaped by personal factors, technology-related challenges, and an unstable political environment.