WHO/Europe will host a webinar on 21 November to explore the role of digital health literacy and its impact on health outcomes. This is the 11th webinar in the Decoding Data and Digital Health series, which addresses digital health topics of importance to countries in the WHO European Region.
Digital divide
Across the European Region, the adoption of digital solutions in health care has increased, transforming service delivery in primary care facilities, hospitals and homes. By enabling remote diagnosis and monitoring of health conditions, tools like telehealth and mobile apps are broadening access to health care for more people. However, as these technologies become more widespread, individuals with limited digital skills are at a growing risk of being excluded.
WHO defines digital health literacy as the ability to search, find, understand and evaluate health information from electronic resources and to use the knowledge gained to solve health-related problems. Improving digital health literacy can lead to better health outcomes, reduce inequalities in health-care access and enable individuals to make informed decisions about their health. In addition, a 2023 WHO/Europe study found the use of digital technologies to be beneficial for health workers’ performance and mental health. Enhancing country capacities to govern digital transformation in the health sector and advance digital health literacy is a key priority of the Regional Digital Health Action Plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030.
WHO/Europe’s 2023 report “Digital health in the European Region: the ongoing journey to commitment and transformation” found that slightly over half of countries in the Region recognize the importance of digital health literacy, with only 17 countries having developed digital health education action plans, policies and strategies. Digital solutions are often inaccessible for older people, migrants, persons with disabilities and residents of rural areas, although these people could benefit the most from these tools. This inequity urgently needs to be addressed through targeted investments in digital health literacy.
The webinar
The 1-hour event will convene international experts to raise awareness, identify challenges and discuss solutions to bridge the digital literacy gap in health care. Participants will be able to participate in a Q&A session and learn about digital inclusion across demographics, as well as about proposed actions and policy recommendations. By highlighting the benefits and challenges associated with digital health literacy, the webinar seeks to foster a deeper understanding and encourage the adoption of digital solutions to support health and well-being for everyone.
The event will be hosted in English and Russian. It is open to the public, including digital health developers, health and care workers, policy-makers, researchers and representatives of advocacy groups. Please use the registration link if you are interested in taking part.
The Decoding Data and Digital Health webinar series is supported by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety) through the action “Supporting Member States in the WHO European Region in strengthening health information systems and boosting health data governance”.