Patient Preference and Adherence (Jun 2023)
Assessing eHealth Literacy and Identifying Factors Influencing Its Adoption Among Cancer Inpatients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Guangdong Population
Abstract
Manru Fu,1,2,* Anqi Li,2,* Futing Zhang,3 Li Lin,3 Chuning Chen,2 Ying Su,2 Yunshao Ye,4 Dong Han,1,5 Jinghui Chang2 1The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Oncology, Southern Hopital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Guangzhou Health Technology Identification & Human Resources Assessment Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jinghui Chang, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 19898199912, Fax +86 020-61648573, Email [email protected]: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of eHealth literacy among cancer patients in a grade A tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, and to identify the factors that influence it, in order to provide a basis for improving the eHealth literacy of cancer patients.Patients and Methods: From September to November 2021, a convenience sampling method was employed to survey cancer patients in the oncology department of a grade A tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, using a self-administered general information questionnaire and the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS). A total of 130 questionnaires were distributed, and 117 valid questionnaires were returned.Results: The mean total score of eHealth literacy among cancer patients was 21.32± 8.35. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of searching for health information and education level were significant factors influencing eHealth literacy (p< 0.05). Specifically, the education level (junior high school vs primary school or below) was found to have a significant association with eHealth literacy (beta=0.26, p=0.039).Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the eHealth literacy of cancer patients is relatively low, with low scores on the dimensions of judgment and decision-making ability. The government and relevant regulatory authorities should focus on strengthening the reliability of online health information and implementing targeted e-interventions to enhance the eHealth literacy of cancer patients.Keywords: health literacy, neoplasms, information seeking behavior, eHEALS
