Barriers To Achieving E-Health Literacy

Abstract

E-health literacy is the ability to gather and appropriately process health information retrieved online. Like traditional health literacy, higher levels of e-health literacy may work to support health decision making and thereby improve health outcomes. Some populations frequently identified as at risk for health disparities, are also in danger of falling in to the e-health literacy “gap.” The following paper explores the barriers to attaining e-health literacy for vulnerable populations. The paper illustrates how a narrow focus on increasing technology access is insufficient to address disparities in e-health literacy, and provides a preliminary agenda for health promotion professionals to better address the e-health literacy gap in research and practice.