Team explores link between digital health literacy and heart health

Digital health literacy, or DHL, refers to a person’s ability to find, assess, and apply health information from digital sources. Research has found that those with higher DHL skills and more digital access are more likely to embrace healthy behaviors, including eating a healthy diet, communicating with their providers digitally, and using health apps to manage their conditions. Yet this research has not often focused specifically on working-age adults or DHL’s role in heart health. The CEAL Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Regional Team (CEAL DMV) set out to address these research gaps.

CEAL DMV specifically focused on how DHL influences heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors: eating fruits and vegetables, maintaining physical activity, and limiting sugar-sweetened beverages. The team surveyed adults in communities most impacted by heart disease in the greater D.C. region at health fairs and other public events. After collecting demographic information and assessing DHL skills, the survey then asked about any history of heart disease or risk factors, as well as health behaviors.

The researchers’ findings

As the team expected, they identified links between DHL skills and heart-healthy behaviors, namely fruit and vegetable consumption. As DHL increased, so did the expected frequency of eating fruits and veggies. However, higher DHL was not associated with more exercise. Also, no link was found between DHL and diagnosis or risk of heart disease. Furthermore, researchers found that higher DHL was tied to more consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, not less. The potential reasons for that increase are beyond the scope of this study.

The evidence-based opportunities

The team’s takeaway? DHL may support some heart-healthy behaviors, but it does not tell the whole story. Where people live, how much targeted marketing they are exposed to, and other factors beyond a person’s control all play a role in heart health and health-promoting behavior. The team identified some opportunities for more research and future interventions:

• More research can investigate some of the reasons behind these and similar findings.
• Research can also study other contributing factors, like trust in digital information or social support.
• Future interventions should work to improve not only an individual’s DHL, but also overall digital health environments, making such information available, understandable, and reliable.