The Effects of Digital Literacy and Health Empowerment on Elders’ Communication with Doctors: Focusing on Moderating Effect of Health Beliefs

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored the effects of the elderly group’s digital literacy and health empowerment on communication with doctors, considering moderating effect of health beliefs about chronic diseases. Methods: A one-on-one interview survey was conducted with 500 older adults in South Korea. The main variables were digital literacy, health empowerment, communication with doctors, and health belief of chronic diseases. Results: The interaction effect between health empowerment and susceptibility, and health empowerment and perceived barrier were significant. Conclusion: Communication with doctors greatly increased when the elders had high levels of health empowerment and low levels of susceptibility. Also, communication with doctors greatly increased when the elders had high levels of health empowerment and low levels of perceived barriers.