As the future for health literacy, should we embrace eHealth?
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Apps and other technological tools have great potential for literacy. Yet some guidelines for their use need to be put in place.
The internet has become a medium to quickly access various information. With a click of the mouse, one is presented with a wide variety of contributions. The offers seem almost inexhaustible. Especially in the post-Covid world, we seem to become more dependent on media than ever before.
Most notably in relation to health, media has recently become more important. Visits to doctors in crowded hospitals are more likely to be avoided because of the pandemic. Instead, more and more people are turning to various online platforms or apps to get health advice and health-related information.
Media health, or more precisely eHealth, has caught everyone’s attention now. Scholars Norman and Skinner define eHealth Literacy as:” the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem”. In our other blog, we explained the concept of eHealth in more detail.
E Health is a relatively new concept that has been driven primarily by digitization. Health apps in particular seem more popular than ever. In 2021, there were 53, 979 health apps available in the Apple App Store alone. Almost anyone can download a health app, no matter where they are. They are easy to use and convenient if you want to monitor your own health. This also explains why the number of people who have downloaded health apps has increased so much recently. Furthermore, technologies can lead to greater self-determination. Through the simplified handling of technical devices, users can acquire content on health independently. They are no longer heavily dependent on their country’s education system. In countries where health education is not widely available, this is a great advantage. In addition, the apps help to set goals in therapy and to get feedback on one’s own health behavior. This has been successful especially in treatments for eating habits and substance abuse such as smoking.
Particularly, in the area of health literacy, the trend seems to have great potential. Health apps, for example, seem particularly well-suited to people who are not highly literate. Apps and other online platforms that use simple and clear language can help people better understand and interpret health information. In addition, a simplified and universal design and structured layout of the app can make it easier for users to access information.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
You’re probably wondering, if there are so many benefits to health apps, why doesn’t everyone use them? Well, there are some weak points in the use of these tools. Researchers complain that certain skills are needed to use the internet and media, which not everyone has. For example, you have to be able to use a computer and know how to search for information.
In addition, there are other obstacles in dealing with health apps. One problem is that there is a lack of regulation for the platforms. This means that health-related information is not always checked for quality and accuracy. While some app store operators are trying to introduce control mechanisms for health-related content, so far there have been little improvements in this area.Another problem is that there are few studies and literature on the subject. In other words, there is a lack of evidence for the positive effects of health apps. The success of apps on the health of users has not yet been sufficiently researched. The world of media changes so quickly that detailed analyses and studies are often no longer up to date. Another problem is data security . What should be done with users’ health data? Can data be passed on to third parties, such as companies or governments? There are still many remaining questions on this topic that have not yet been adequately clarified. Existing laws and regulations are often outdated or too open.
Despite all these difficulties in dealing with media on health-related topics, there is no denying that eHealth literacy has great potential. Numerous studies and research indicate that modern tools can help to better track the individual health status. Furthermore, they are said to be suitable for better documentation and implementation of medical therapies.
Especially in times of Corona, easy access to health-related information is very important. In order to be able to conclusively assess and weigh up when it makes sense to turn to the internet for health-related questions, we need further studies to provide clarification. The topic of media health has received more and more attention in recent years, especially due to the advancing digitalization. Nevertheless, it remains complex and further research into the potential of this relatively new trend is urgently needed.
You discuss the pros and cons of eHealth apps. Would you prefer to consult an app or visit a hospital for a more serious inquiry? What arguments would you use to justify that?
Hello Amanda, thank you for your question. In general, I would say that it is always better to get the opinion of an expert. When you go to the doctor, you can usually expect to get good advice about your health. Also, when talking to patients directly, individual symptoms can be recorded more accurately. And there are also things that only a doctor can do, such as scanning certain parts of the body or performing health tests. Still, I think apps and the like are a good alternative if you want quick health tips. If you want to look for information on general diseases that are not so severe, internet platforms are good for that. Apps are also very helpful for tracking your own health and analysing your own behaviour. However, if the symptoms last longer or get worse, you should always consult a doctor! And you should always check the accuracy of health-related information on the internet. I hope I was able to answer your question 🙂 Thank you for your comment!
Thank you! It was indeed an answer along the lines of my own thoughts, but I had not thought much of the ability to track your own health with apps!
Hi! I really like your post! It is an issue that is now, due to COVID indeed more present than ever before. You mentioned the disadvantage that it can be difficult to assess the accuracy and quality of a source. And it can also be confusing if you have two sources that contradict one another. What are your thoughts on a solution to this problem? Should there be only a few apps that are approved? Or should people get more guidance in their assessment? Let me know 🙂
Hey Judith, really interesting question! It’s true that inaccurate information is a real problem, especially when it comes to health. That’s why you should always check beforehand if the source you’re getting information from is reliable. I think it’s a good idea to investigate and regulate health apps more. This is already happening to some extent. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for example, reviews a large number of health apps by experts. However, there are still too few guidelines and regulations on the market for these apps. Especially for health-related issues, misinformation can be very dangerous. I hope that answered your question! If you want to learn more about this topic, this article might be interesting for you: https://www.livescience.com/47021-health-apps-fda-regulation.html 🙂
Hi, Very interesting post! I go into a somewhat similar topic (I notice we even used a very similar picture haha). Here, you talk about apps specifically for health information, but what do you think about doctors going on e.g. youtube and spreading their knowledge there? Do you think that is a more/less effective? do you think it’s a trustworthy way to help people inform themselves?
Hi Jasper! I read through your text and we seem to be really interested in similar topics haha. Regarding your question, I think that Youtube videos of doctors can be a great enrichment. There is a lot of evidence that educational videos can help us understand and process information better. When these videos are made by trained doctors and experts, I think they have a lot of potential. However, with educational videos, it is important to keep in mind that the doctor in question does not know our own medical condition and can only educate us about general health-related topics. This can be very important, for example, when explaining Covid 19 symptoms or how to protect oneself from the virus. For specific questions or uncertainties, however, you should always consult a doctor. In addition, you should check in advance whether the person spreading knowledge on youtube or other online platforms is really qualified. I hope that answered your question. Thanks for the input!
Hey Nike, really really nice post given that there is still a lack of complete information and given the fact that media health literacy is a new domain. I just read the post of Heidi on media health literacy. She was talking about the dangerous consequences that illiteracy in such a domain can have . In your post you discussed the fact that there is a problem with health apps also because to use them you also need to know how to use internet. I see that. But I was wondering if there is anything that could be done to make those apps also more accessible to the older generation, who could really benefit. I am not sure you can answer my question. It is just a reflection that yours and Heidi’s post made me wonder.
Hey Matilde. Thanks for your nice feedback! There have indeed been some recent attempts to make apps easier to use for older people. More and more elderly people nowadays own a mobile phone or other mobile devices and are able to access health-related information. To make this information more accessible, some things should be considered. For example, the text should be clearly readable and distinguishable from the background. Videos should always have subtitles so that people with hearing impairments can follow the content. And the design should be clearly laid out. However, these are only a few considerations that should be taken into account. Overall, however, access to online media for seniors should be further expanded.
Hi Nike! Your post is very enlightening, offering a deep analysis on a phenomenon we are experiencing at the moment. Do you think that this great opportunity that the internet is offering us will become a threat since potentially everybody has access to reading, but also creating content?
After all, Trump will launch soon his new app…
Hi Anna! I think your question reflects one of the biggest problems in dealing with modern media. On the one hand, new technologies offer great potential and allow virtually everyone access to information. On the other hand, however, every user is empowered to publish content on their own, whether the user is qualified or not. Trump is probably one of the most prominent examples of someone who regularly spreads misinformation to the public. After being banned from the major social media platforms for spreading misinformation, he himself launched an online platform called Truth Social. Misinformation, along with data security, is probably the biggest challenge in dealing with technology. I think we need to find solutions quickly to deal with the overabundance of false information. Otherwise, the internet can really become a threat.
I really think this is a very interesting blog, and I am curious to get to know your opinion on the data privacy part. Do you think that the data of users of certain health apps could be protected in such a way that both the GDPR is maintained and no security breaches are present, while still offering users with correct and personal advice?
Hi Isis. Thank you for your really interesting question! Unfortunately, I am not an expert in the field of data security and can therefore only give you a limited answer. However, I will do my best to answer your question based on my knowledge. The General Data Protection Regulation is one of the strictest data security regulations in the world. Companies that have not complied with the regulation are already facing fines in the millions. However, the relatively new data protection law also leads to more transparency and security for the user. To answer your question, I think it is indeed possible to create apps that take into account the data security of the user but also provide personalised advice. In this respect, there is often talk of new personalisation. What is meant is that only certain data of the user is used, to which the user has agreed. In this way, personalised content can still be sent without violating the user’s permission or the GDPR guidelines. It is clear that many app operators still need to work on their data usage and a lot needs to be done in this regard. Nevertheless, some positive examples of responsible data handling are beginning to emerge, without the effectiveness of the platform being severely compromised. I hope that answered your question to some extend. Thank you for your comment 🙂
Thank you for taking the effort to reply to my comment. I agree with your point of view! I think it would still be possible to take into account the GDPR guidelines while still being able to give users correct and personal advice. Though, with every bit of software, there is always the chance of security breaches, but techbology has come so far that we can minimise this to the slightest chance!