JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Understanding how people with diabetes seek online health information and use health applications (apps) is important if we are to assure that these electronic tools can successfully support patients’ self-care. Furthermore, identification of the relationship between patient mobile eHealth literacy (mobile eHL) and diabetes outcomes can have far-reaching utility, such as designing targeted interventions to address mobile eHL limitations. However, only limited studies have explored the impact of mobile eHealth literacy on the diabetes population.

Objective:

This study aims to present data about online information seeking behavior and mobile health application (mHealth app) usage, analyze the levels of eHealth and mHealth literacy of patients with diabetes, and flesh out the relationship between eHL and mHL and health outcomes.

Methods:

Respondents (N=249) completed the cross-sectional survey. Structural equation modeling analyses examined model fit of mobile eHealth literacy scores and the interrelationships between latent constructs and observable variables.

Results:

Sixty-seven percent (164/249) reported they had searched for online diabetes information. The participants have smartphones had an average of 6.53 years with an average of 4.46 hours daily use (SD = 3.81); the tablet users have 89 persons with an average of 2.24 hours daily use (SD = 2.64). Only few respondents used health applications (1.6 %, 4/249). The final model had adequate goodness-of-fit indexes: chi-square(83) = 149.572, P = 0.000; CFI = 0.925; root mean square of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.057 (90% CI: 004-006); chi-square/df = 1.082. The mobile eHL was weakly indirect effect on SRH through the variables of Knowledge with Skills.

Conclusions:

The picture that emerges from our study reveals that although people with diabetes who rated their health condition as moderate were confident in using mobile eHealth and technology, few adopted these tools in their daily life. The study found that mobile eHL had a direct effect on Knowledge and Skill about computer/web/mobile technology and had an indirect effect on health outcomes (glycemic control and self-rated health status). Knowing these population’s experiences and preferences could contribute to the reform of health care systems, and increasing access to health information, services, supports and health education via new technologies.