ABSTRACT
Background: Digital health literacy (DHL) is the confluence where health literacy meets digital literacy. DHL has been labelled as one of the digital determinants of health by the World Health Organization. The present study estimated and compared the DHL between Telangana's urban and rural ageing adults, and their potential determinants. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 318 of the ageing individuals (≥45 years) of Hyderabad, visiting the primary health centres in the rural and urban field practice during March 2023. A Telugu version of the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) and health literacy scale tools were administered by the interviewers. Adjusted analysis was conducted by multiple linear regression method. Results: Overall, 20.4% of the study participants had good DHL, with a similar proportion between rural and urban areas (rural-20.1% and urban-20.8%, p value-0.889). The median eHealth literacy score among the study participants was 8. While 36.5% and 45.9% had smartphones and standard analogue phones, respectively in urban areas, only 19.5% and 38.4% had smartphones and standard analogue phones, respectively in rural areas. Computer usage in the past month, higher educational qualification, and ownership of mobile phones were significant determinants of DHL. A mild but significant correlation between DHL and health literacy screening scores was found. Conclusion: Considering the low DHL among the ageing population, enabling environment with enhanced access to mobile phones/smartphones and familiarity with information and communication technology gadgets must be established to improve their DHL.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Post Traumatic stress disorder usually occurs after a traumatic event and nowadays we are all facing the pandemic - the COVID-19 which has effected our mental health to a great extent. So this study was taken up to assess the risk of Post traumatic stress disorder symptoms using impact of event scale-revised (IES-R), their main stressors and coping measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A telephonic interview schedule was adopted to fill the online questionnaire among general population of age group 20-55 years covering different states using snow ball technique. RESULTS: depicted 8.2% at risk of post traumatic stress disorder symptoms and 32.5% at risk of suppressed immune system functioning which is presumed to have its effect for the next 10 years. The main stressors of Covid -19 with increased score were worry about economic influences, effect of social media on daily life, lack of social support and poor knowledge. Coping measurements with brief resilient coping scale found 40.5% as low resilient copers who had higher mean scores of IES-R. CONCLUSIONS: This needs to be addressed earlier to bring up preventive strategies to ameliorate by including counselling services in the routine health care services of India.
