Health care professionals' knowledge of and ability to identify citizens’ digital health literacy from a shared perspective of education, practice, policy and politics

Purpose: Digital health literacy (dHL) is crucial for informed healthcare decision-making and can lead to significant differences in health outcomes and thus health inequalities. This study examines how to increase healthcare professionals (HCPs) knowledge of and ability to identify the dHL of citizens, thereby addressing inequities in health outcomes. Methods: As part of the Improving Digital Empowerment for Active and Healthy Living (IDEAHL) project, this exploratory qualitative study was conducted with online workshops and follow-up interviews with 17 health care professionals, lecturers, policy makers and decision makers. Results: Results indicate that organizational leadership and strategic focus are needed to promote dHL among HCPs. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating dHL into healthcare education curricula and stressed that ongoing education and training opportunities are essential to provide HCPs with the skills they need to assess and support citizens’ dHL. In addition, the need for standardized screening tools and collaboration between educational institutions and healthcare practices was identified to enable effective assessment and intervention strategies. Conclusions: Improving HCPs competencies in the assessment of dHL is critical to promoting equitable access to digital health resources. By utilizing a multifaceted approach that incorporates educational, practice, policy, and political perspectives, this research contributes to the development of targeted strategies aimed at closing the digital health gap and ultimately improving health outcomes. Future efforts should focus on refining assessment methods and evaluating educational interventions to help HCPs navigate the complexities of the digital health landscape.