Self-Reported Digital Health Literacy and Work Engagement Among Nurses in UAE Hospitals.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Nursing Practice
• Digital Health

Background:

• Digital technologies are transforming healthcare delivery and administration.
• Nurses are key users of digital tools for patient care and system navigation.
• Understanding nurses' digital health literacy is crucial for effective technology integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess self-reported digital health literacy (DHL) and work engagement among UAE nurses.
• To explore associations between DHL, work engagement, and demographic factors.
• To examine the relationship between DHL and work engagement in the UAE nursing workforce.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 364 nurses in the UAE (May-August 2024).
• Utilized self-reported Digital Health Literacy (21-item) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (9-item) questionnaires.
• Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, correlations, and multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported high average scores for both digital health literacy (3.05 ± 0.57) and work engagement (4.83 ± 1.13).
• Education level was linked to DHL, while gender, age, and experience showed varied associations.
• Positive correlations were found between overall work engagement and self-reported digital health literacy.

Conclusions:

• Self-reported digital health literacy is relevant to nurses' work engagement in digital healthcare environments.
• Findings support further research into DHL and its impact on nursing practice and engagement.
• Nurses in the UAE demonstrate high levels of both digital health literacy and work engagement.