Sociodemographic differences in digital health literacy of schoolchildren: a representative study

• Published in: European journal of public health 2023-10, Vol.33 (Supplement_2)
• Main Authors: Stauch, L, Renninger, D, Fischer, L, Hartmann, A, Rangnow, P, Dadaczynski, K, Okan, O
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Parallel Programme
• ISSN: 1101-1262; 1464-360X
• DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad160.740

Abstract Background The increasing amount, availability, and use of digital health information through the Internet, social media, and apps highlights the relevance of digital health literacy in schoolchildren. Children and youth need digital health literacy in order to find, understand, and appraise health information and to make health decisions in everyday live. However, there is only limited to none evidence available on child and youth digital health literacy. This study aims at investigating digital health literacy of schoolchildren in Germany and explore associations with sociodemographic differences. Methods Data were collected from a representative sample of N = 1,448 secondary schoolchildren employing a face-to-face survey (CAPI) (Oct-Nov 2022). In addition to sociodemographic information (age, gender, migration, family affluence, education level), digital health literacy was measured using an adapted and translated self-report tool for secondary schoolchildren in Germany. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and internal consistency were calculated using SPSS. Results Cronbach's alpha indicated a good internal consistency (α=.82) for the overall scale and an acceptable-to-good reliability for the subscales (α=.735-.866). Digital health literacy was low in more than half of the participants (52.9%). While no differences were found for gender (X2 (1)=0.25, p=.618) and migration background (X2 (2)=2.34, p=.31), lower digital health literacy was more frequent among younger children aged 9-11 years (X2 (2)=34.69, p =