Health literacy means how well people can find, understand, and use health information to make good health choices. Don Nutbeam says health literacy is not just for one person but helps whole communities make better health decisions and improve health conditions. The World Health Organization and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) see health literacy as important for lowering health differences and making health better everywhere.
In the United States, many people still have low health literacy, which makes it harder to get good healthcare. This is especially true for people who have less access or fewer resources. For example, in New York State’s Medicaid Managed Care program, 20% of people had trouble with health literacy. These people often have worse health, harder times getting help, and aren’t as happy with their health services. They might not take their medicine right, miss doctor visits, or have trouble managing long-term illnesses, which means they might end up in the hospital or emergency room more. This raises healthcare costs and wastes valuable resources.
Digital literacy means having the skills to use computers, smartphones, and the internet to find and use health information. This skill is becoming more important in the U.S. since many healthcare services are moving online. Scheduling appointments, getting prescription refills, learning about health, telehealth visits, and paying bills are often done online now.
In many parts of the U.S., there are fewer places to get face-to-face care or health education. For example, a study in the El Paso Borderplex area of Texas showed that 68% of people in the 79905 ZIP code only finished high school or less. Having a low education level often links to low digital skills. When people cannot use digital tools well, it is harder for them to get health information and help online. This can lead to worse health and money problems.
To help, Texas Tech Health El Paso received $10,000 from the Underserved Communities Foundation. This money goes to a program called Promotores de Salud. This program trains community health workers, called promotores, to teach bilingual health education about diseases such as diabetes, oral health, heart disease, and mental health. The program also runs workshops in digital and financial literacy. These teach people how to use online health resources, handle medical bills, and make informed health choices.
The Promotores de Salud program shows how teaching digital literacy with health education can help people get involved in their care. It also shows why teaching in languages people speak and in ways that fit their culture is important. Working together, promotores, medical students, and teachers have helped clear up health myths and improve communication. This builds trust and raises health knowledge in communities.
Long-term illnesses like diabetes and heart disease need regular care and doctor visits. Digital literacy helps patients use tools like online portals to see test results, schedule appointments, refill medicines, and talk to doctors. This leads to fewer missed visits and medicine mistakes, which helps people stay healthier.
The Promotores de Salud program in El Paso gives families ways to manage chronic diseases combined with digital skills workshops. These classes help people get comfortable using smartphones, patient portals, and trustworthy health websites.
In other U.S. areas, health systems see that better digital literacy can lower costs by stopping unnecessary emergency visits, hospital stays, and extra tests. For healthcare managers, this means they should invest in teaching patients and giving help to use digital health tools well.
Healthcare groups are using many methods to improve health literacy, including digital skills. Some common actions are:
In New York, Arnot Health shows how using clear communication, digital tools, and community programs can improve patient understanding and satisfaction. Their online bill pay and telehealth options help patients take charge of their care, especially those with low health literacy.
Using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in healthcare creates chances to help with health literacy and getting care. Companies like Simbo AI focus on AI tools for phone systems that help patients schedule, get reminders, refill medicine, and ask questions faster.
AI phone systems shorten wait times and make care easier to reach. This is very important for people who find it hard to use normal phone systems or do not have strong digital skills.
For healthcare managers and IT staff, using AI systems can reduce the work staff has to do. It lets them spend more time caring for patients. Automated systems make sure patients get messages on time, which lowers missed visits and helps patients follow care plans.
When AI works with patient portals and telehealth, it adds more support. For example, AI chatbots can help patients schedule appointments, check symptoms, and learn basic health info in their preferred language. This helps with communication issues in underserved groups.
Health resources are not spread evenly across the United States. Rural and border areas often have fewer services. Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 counties with many Hispanic residents. It is known as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, showing the need for health education that fits the culture and language of the people.
Digital literacy programs in these regions not only help health but also support economic growth. They teach people how to manage medical costs and use social services online. For many vulnerable groups, unexpected health problems cause money issues. Teaching prevention and how to find resources early is very important.
Large programs like Promotores de Salud show how community-based efforts with digital skills can work well. As people learn to use digital health tools, they can use healthcare systems that might have seemed hard to reach before.
Improving health literacy, including digital skills, needs ongoing effort from organizations and policy makers. Governments, health groups, and charities all have big roles.
For example, China’s National Health Literacy Promotion Project spends over $40 million every year to raise health literacy, including for diseases that last a long time. Nigeria uses community radio to increase access to health services through education.
In the U.S., grants from groups like the Underserved Communities Foundation help create focused programs to lower health differences. Healthcare leaders should include digital literacy in patient education and invest in technologies that break down barriers to care.
Digital literacy in healthcare is becoming necessary for people across the U.S. to manage their health and use services well. For healthcare managers, owners, and IT staff, understanding this need and adding digital literacy education, along with AI tools, helps reduce health gaps and improve care.
Programs like Texas Tech Health El Paso’s Promotores de Salud and Arnot Health’s work show that combining health and digital skills with education that fits culture can greatly affect patient health and satisfaction.
As healthcare shifts more online, investing in digital literacy and AI tools is not a choice but a must to make healthcare better and fairer for everyone.
The $10,000 grant from the Underserved Communities Foundation aims to support community health workers, known as promotores, in providing bilingual education on critical health issues to residents of El Paso, thereby improving health care access for underserved populations.
Promotores are trained community health workers who provide culturally relevant health education and support to families in El Paso. They help navigate the health care system and promote strategies for chronic disease management.
The promotores focus on various health concerns including diabetes, oral health, heart disease, and mental well-being, offering education tailored to the needs of the community.
The program includes digital and financial literacy training workshops, equipping residents with skills to access online health resources and manage medical expenses effectively.
Dr. Chacon developed a bilingual children’s activity book aimed at enhancing health literacy and introducing various health care professions to children, fostering connections between future physicians and the community.
With 68% of residents in the 79905 ZIP code having a high school diploma or less, digital literacy is essential for improving health outcomes and enabling greater economic mobility.
The program is expected to enhance its outreach efforts by providing health education in various areas across El Paso, fostering a larger impact on the community.
Collaboration ensures that health education is culturally competent and more accessible, while also addressing common health myths and improving communication with the community.
The mission is to eliminate health care barriers and create educational opportunities for residents in border communities, emphasizing development and support for historically underserved populations.
It is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border, designated as a Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care professionals, particularly from Hispanic backgrounds.
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