JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital inclusion and literacy facilitates access to health information and can contribute to self-care behaviours and informed decision-making. However, digital literacy is not an innate skill, rather it requires knowledge acquisition.

Objective:

The present study aimed to develop, conduct, and measure the impact, on digital and health literacy, of a digital inclusion program (termed “OITO Project”) aimed at community-dwellers aged 55 years old and above.

Methods:

The digital intervention was organized as an in-person, 8-workshop based, guided digital inclusion program, using mobile devices. Sociodemographic, health status, and mobile use information, was collected at baseline, and digital and health literacy measured at baseline (T1), program completion (T2), and 1-month (T3) thereafter, via the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire and the Health Literacy Scale questionnaires, respectively.

Results:

The intervention had 81% recruitment rate, 53% adherence, and 94% satisfaction, with a total of 81 participants completing of the workshops. Most study participants were women, with primary schooling (up to 4 years), aged between 65 to 74 years, and retired. Participants had a low baseline score in digital literacy and a medium/high baseline score in health literacy, with a significant improvement in digital literacy at T2 and T3, compared to T1, but without significant differences between T2 and T3, regardless of sex, age, and schooling. A significant improvement in self-reported autonomy was observed at T3 compared with baseline. Regarding health literacy, no significant differences were found at T2 or T3 compared to the baseline.

Conclusions:

The feasibility Indicators were satisfactory, showing that the methodology of the workshops had a substantial rate of recruitment and satisfaction. The study showed significant improvement in digital literacy in 8 workshops, with score maintenance one month after the intervention end.