[MA 2024 10] From Concept to Practice: Development and Usability Evaluation of an Interactive, Performance-Based Digital Health Literacy Tool

eHealth Living & Learning Lab Amsterdam, Department of Medical Informatics, AMC

Proposed by: Dr. Marloes Derksen [m.e.derksen@amsterdamumc.nl]

Introduction

Healthcare is quickly moving into the digital realm, but is everyone keeping up? Navigating digital healthcare requires a new skill set called digital health literacy (DHL) (1). This includes the ability to search for, select, evaluate, and use online health information and digital health applications?(2). DHL, similar to (health) literacy, tends to be lower among specific populations, such as those with low socioeconomic status, ethnic minorities, and older adults. (3-6). A prerequisite to secure access to cure and care for these disadvantaged populations is DHL-assessment. Once DHL is determined, healthcare providers and researchers can address and tailor next intervention steps, prevention and care to the DHL of their patient or population. Whilst DHL-tools currently exist, these are often developed as paper-based questionnaires or static outdated performance-based tasks (1). However, due to their resemblance to using a digital tool, interactive, performance-based tasks should offer results that are more accurate and realistic. Additionally, it is more effective for medical professionals and researchers because the tool's results will be computed automatically and transmitted digitally.

Description of the SRP Project/Problem

This study will take a user-centered design approach, ensuring that end-users are engaged in every phase of the design process (7):

- Understanding the context of use; and specifying user requirements through literature research on barriers and facilitators of existing digital health literacy assessment tools and performance based tasks and qualitative interviews with end-users (n=10) (for recruitment the Digital Health Literacy Panel of the eHealth Living & Learning Lab Amsterdam will be contacted).

- Creating design solutions with end-users (n=5) and (digital) health literacy experts (n=5).

- Evaluating the usability of the solution through means of a Think Aloud usability test combined with qualitative interviews with end-users (n=5) and a Heuristic Evaluation with UX-design experts (n=3). E.g.,

- The completeness and accuracy with which the user achieve certain goals (effectiveness, ISO 9241-110).

- How much effort (efficiency) it costs the user to achieve these goals (ISO 9241-110).

- How free of disturbances, and how positive the user is towards the client portal (satisfaction, ISO 9241-11).

- Implementation of recommendations to improve user experience of the developed DHL serious game based on usability evaluation findings.

Research questions

What are barriers and facilitators of assessment tools for digital health literacy?

How can a DHL-tool be designed taking a user-centred design?

What design principles seemingly improve the usability of the newly developed DHL-tool?

Expected results

Novel insights into assessment of digital health literacy;

Newly developed digital health literacy assessment tool with optimized usability. Expected stage of maturity: prototype (8).

Time period, please tick at least 1 time period

November – June

May – November

Both time periods are possible.

Allowance

Subject to the approval of a grant application, a modest internship allowance is available.

Contact

Dr. Marloes Derksen, eHealth Living & Learning Lab, Department of Medical Informatics, AMC

m.e.derksen@amsterdamumc.nl

References

1. Van Der Vaart, R., & Drossaert, C. (2017). Development of the digital health literacy instrument: measuring a broad spectrum of health 1.0 and health 2.0 skills.?Journal of medical Internet research,?19(1), e27.

2. TNS Political and Social. Flash Eurobarometer 404 European Citizens' Digital Health Literacy. Brussels, Belgium: European Union; 2014.

3. Neter, E., & Brainin, E. (2012). eHealth literacy: extending the digital divide to the realm of health information.?Journal of medical Internet research,?14(1), e19.

4. Kontos, E., Blake, K. D., Chou, W. Y. S., & Prestin, A. (2014). Predictors of eHealth usage: insights on the digital divide from the Health Information National Trends Survey 2012.?Journal of medical Internet research,?16(7), e172.

5. Gordon, N. P., & Hornbrook, M. C. (2016). Differences in access to and preferences for using patient portals and other eHealth technologies based on race, ethnicity, and age: a database and survey study of seniors in a large health plan.?Journal of medical Internet research,?18(3), e50.

6. Guo, Z., Zhao, S. Z., Guo, N., Wu, Y., Weng, X., Wong, J. Y. H., ... & Wang, M. P. (2021). Socioeconomic disparities in eHealth literacy and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong: cross-sectional study. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(4), e24577.

7. Holtzblatt K, Wendell JB, & Wood S. (2004).?Rapid contextual design: a how-to guide to key techniques for user-centered design. Elsevier: San Francisco.

8. World Health Organization. (2016). Monitoring and evaluating digital health interventions: a practical guide to conducting research and assessment. Retrieved on July 19, 2024 from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241511766