EHealth literacy for seniors and caregivers

Background: Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt set nine priorities including prevention and information technology (IT) to move the country towards a modernization of the U.S. health care system. Seniors ages 65+ are a vulnerable population currently left out of health information on the Web, at a time when many federal, state and local agencies are exclusively using the Web as a tool to disseminate valuable information. Caregivers of the elderly are frequently responsible for providing health information, and may also be in need of eHealth literacy training. Objective/Purpose: This project promotes computer, media and eHealth literacies by pairing seniors and caregivers to promote use of the Internet for access to reliable health information. Methods: The project includes three literacy areas in the curriculum: 1) computer literacy skills such as Web site navigation, 2) media literacy skills including analysis and creation of media, and 3) eHealth literacy related to finding and understanding online health information. The eHEALS eHealth Literacy Scale will be used as a pre- and post-testing instrument to measure effectiveness. Results: As a result of participating in the project, more seniors will be able to use the Web to gain access to health information, evaluate that information, and create content to promote health promoting behaviors. Discussion/Conclusions: As a long-term goal, developing these skills will increase health provider/patient electronic communication through electronic health records. Seniors will become savvy media consumers, able to de-construct and construct health-related media communications.