Previously submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research (no longer under consideration since Jan 08, 2026)
Date Submitted: Oct 19, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Oct 20, 2025 - Dec 15, 2025
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Electronic Health Literacy and its associated factors among adult patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus attending a General Out-patient Clinic in Hong Kong
ABSTRACT
Background:
Previous studies have suggested a higher electronic health literacy (eHealth literacy) level is associated with better self-care behaviour in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients. There is limited knowledge about the level of eHealth literacy and its predictors in local public healthcare setting.
Objective:
This study aims to explore the eHealth literacy level and identifies the association of low eHealth literacy with sociodemographic factors, internet use behaviour and diabetic control among T2DM patients in a General Out-patient Clinic (GOPC) in Hong Kong.
Methods:
This is a cross sectional questionnaire study assessing the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), socio-demographic factors, internet use behaviour and diabetic control of the participants
Results:
360 patients were interviewed with a response rate of 94.8%. The mean age of participants was 63.2 ± 9.8 and 57.2% participants were male. 56.7% of participants had low eHealth literacy and the median eHEALS score was 24 (IQR 21). The associated factors of low eHealth literacy included being older age (p=0.02), lower education (p=0.01), not having searched health information online (p<0.01) and having lower self-perceived health (p<0.01). There was no statistically significant association between eHealth literacy and diabetic control.
Conclusions:
More than half of the participants in this study had low eHealth literacy. They were older, with lower educational level, had lower self-perceived health and many of them never search online health information. Further interventions targeting on those patients could be designed. Clinical Trial: Ethics approval has been applied under local Research Ethics Committee with the reference (KW/EX-23-064(187-09). https://www.ha.org.hk/ho/research_ethics/rec_home.htm
Citation
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