eHealth Literacy Interventions Research Articles

The effects of jigsaw- and constructive controversy-based collaborative learning strategies on older adults’ eHealth literacy

A collaborative eHealth literacy intervention for older adults was developed using two collaborative learning strategies (jigsaw and constructive controversy) and tested by comparing learning outcomes with those produced using individualistic learning strategies. This paper presents results from an experiment conducted from October 2011 to March 2012 using a 2x2 mixed factorial design where learning method (individualistic; collaborative) was the between-participants variable and time of measurement (pre; post) was the within-participants variable. In total, 172 participants (age range: 50-87; M =67.58; SD =7.47) were randomly assigned to the collaborative learning or individualistic learning condition (collaborative: 75; individualistic: 97). The interventions comprised four 2-hour sessions held at a public library. Univariate repeated measures analyses detected asignificant difference in computer and web knowledge by learning method, with individualistic learning outperforming collaborative learning: F 1,127 =7.13; p=0.009. No significant difference was detected in computer and web skill F 1,125 =2.30; p=1.32, or eHealth literacy skill F 1,123 =1.96; p=1.64. The results suggest individualistic learning outperforms collaborative learning for simple recall tasks, but not complex tasks requiring knowledge transfer.

Social Cognitive Factors and Perceived Social Influences That Improve Adolescent eHealth Literacy

While adolescents are increasingly using the Internet for health information, little research has been done to assess and improve their “eHealth literacy”—the abilities to find, evaluate, and apply online health information. This study examines the extent to which adolescents' levels of eHealth literacy can be improved by known determinants such as social cognitive factors and perceived social influences, either independently or jointly. Among 182 middle-schoolers, an eHealth literacy intervention was carried out. It involved qualitative and quantitative baseline research, three online training sessions, and a postintervention survey. According to hierarchical regression model results, social cognitive factors of outcome expectations and involvement, but not health motivation, significantly improved eHealth literacy, and all the perceived social influence variables significantly improved eHealth literacy. However, no joint effect of social cognitive factors and perceived social influences was found. In light of these findings, educators need to make eHealth literacy programs personally relevant to adolescents and reinforce local social norms about the importance of seeking health information online.

Experimenting on the impact of learning methods and information presentation channels on older adults’ e-health literacy

A theory-driven, older adult-oriented e-health literacy intervention was developed and tested to generate scientific knowledge about the potential impact of learning methods and information presentation channels. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 × 2 mixed factorial design with learning method (collaborative, individualistic) and presentation channel (visual only, visual plus auditory) as the between-subjects variables and time of measurement (pre-, post-) as the within-subjects variable. One hundred twenty-four older adults (age: M = 68.15, SD = 9.00) participated during September 2010–February 2011. No significant interaction or main effect of learning method and information presentation channel was found, suggesting the advantages of collaborative learning over individualistic learning or the redundancy effect might not be easily generalized to older adults in similar experimental conditions. Time of measurement had significant main effects on e-health literacy efficacy, perceived usefulness of e-health literacy skills, and e-health literacy skills (p <.001 in all three cases; power = 1.00 or .98). These findings suggest that the intervention, regardless of its specific combination of learning method and information presentation channel, was effective in improving e-health literacy from pre- to postintervention. The findings contribute to the collaborative learning, multimedia learning, and e-health literacy literatures. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of an eHealth Literacy Intervention for Older Adults

BackgroundOlder adults generally have low health and computer literacies, making it challenging for them to function well in the eHealth era where technology is increasingly being used in health care. Little is known about effective interventions and strategies for improving the eHealth literacy of the older population.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the effects of a theory-driven eHealth literacy intervention for older adults.MethodsThe experimental design was a 2 × 2 mixed factorial design with learning method (collaborative; individualistic) as the between-participants variable and time of measurement (pre; post) as the within-participants variable. A total of 146 older adults aged 56–91 (mean 69.99, SD 8.12) participated in this study during February to May 2011. The intervention involved 2 weeks of learning about using the National Institutes of Health’s SeniorHealth.gov website to access reliable health information. The intervention took place at public libraries. Participants were randomly assigned to either experimental condition (collaborative: n = 72; individualistic: n = 74).ResultsOverall, participants’ knowledge, skills, and eHealth literacy efficacy all improved significantly from pre to post intervention (P < .001 in all cases; effect sizes were >0.8 with statistical power of 1.00 even at the .01 level in all cases). When controlling for baseline differences, no significant main effect of the learning method was found on computer/Web knowledge, skills, or eHealth literacy efficacy. Thus, collaborative learning did not differ from individualistic learning in affecting the learning outcomes. No significant interaction effect of learning method and time of measurement was found. Group composition based on gender, familiarity with peers, or prior computer experience had no significant main or interaction effect on the learning outcomes. Regardless of the specific learning method used, participants had overwhelmingly positive attitudes toward the intervention and reported positive changes in participation in their own health care as a result of the intervention.ConclusionsThe findings provide strong evidence that the eHealth literacy intervention tested in this study, regardless of the specific learning method used, significantly improved knowledge, skills, and eHealth literacy efficacy from pre to post intervention, was positively perceived by participants, and led to positive changes in their own health care. Collaborative learning did not differ from individualistic learning in affecting the learning outcomes, suggesting the previously widely reported advantages of collaborative over individualistic learning may not be easily applied to the older population in informal settings, though several confounding factors might have contributed to this finding (ie, the largely inexperienced computer user composition of the study sample, potential instructor effect, and ceiling effect). Further research is necessary before a more firm conclusion can be drawn. These findings contribute to the literatures on adult learning, social interdependence theory, and health literacy.

Experimenting on the impact of learning methods and information presentation channels on older adults' e-health literacy

A theory-driven, older adult-oriented e-health literacy intervention was developed and tested to generate scientific knowledge about the potential impact of learning methods and information presentation channels. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 × 2 mixed factorial design with learning method (collaborative, individualistic) and presentation channel (visual only, visual plus auditory) as the between-subjects variables and time of measurement (pre-, post-) as the within-subjects variable. One hundred twenty-four older adults (age: M = 68.15, SD = 9.00) participated during September 2010–February 2011. No significant interaction or main effect of learning method and information presentation channel was found, suggesting the advantages of collaborative learning over individualistic learning or the redundancy effect might not be easily generalized to older adults in similar experimental conditions. Time of measurement had significant main effects on e-health literacy efficacy, perceived usefulness of e-health literacy skills, and e-health literacy skills (p <.001 in all three cases; power = 1.00 or .98). These findings suggest that the intervention, regardless of its specific combination of learning method and information presentation channel, was effective in improving e-health literacy from pre- to postintervention. The findings contribute to the collaborative learning, multimedia learning, and e-health literacy literatures. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.