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22 Digital Health Literacy: Improving Health Outcomes

  • Andrea Riga

    Riga, Andrea

    Graduated with honours in 2022 at Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy in Italianistics with a thesis in History of the Italian Language, entitled: The Sound-symbolism in Italian Language: With an Historical-linguistic Repertory of Ideophones. He is enrolled in the PhD programme in Linguistic-Literary Civilisations and Cultures from Antiquity to Modernity at the same University. He has worked on the linguistic simplification of institutional language and on the Italian lexicon. He is now working on the study of onomatopoeias and ideophones in the history of the Italian language.

    Email: andrea.riga@uniroma3.it
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Libraries Empowering Society through Digital Literacy
This chapter is in the book Libraries Empowering Society through Digital Literacy

Abstract

This chapter explores the concepts of health literacy and digital health literacy and analyses their roles both at individual and broader socioeconomic levels. It addresses the growing importance of the concepts and the need to implement initiatives and projects to promote health literacy and digital health literacy. The issues have become increasingly evident in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the parallel development of an information epidemic, or infodemic. This chapter also examines the importance of the use of plain language in communication of health information, the role of libraries and librarians in the promotion of health literacy and in particular focuses on the features, functions, and purposes of patients’ libraries. It highlights the work of a specific patients’ library, the Biblioteca del Paziente Biblioteca Digitale – Centro di Conoscenza “Riccardo Maceratini”/Patients’ Library Digital Library – Knowledge Centre “Riccardo Maceratini” at the Istituto Regina Elena – Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri in Rome, Italy.

Abstract

This chapter explores the concepts of health literacy and digital health literacy and analyses their roles both at individual and broader socioeconomic levels. It addresses the growing importance of the concepts and the need to implement initiatives and projects to promote health literacy and digital health literacy. The issues have become increasingly evident in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the parallel development of an information epidemic, or infodemic. This chapter also examines the importance of the use of plain language in communication of health information, the role of libraries and librarians in the promotion of health literacy and in particular focuses on the features, functions, and purposes of patients’ libraries. It highlights the work of a specific patients’ library, the Biblioteca del Paziente Biblioteca Digitale – Centro di Conoscenza “Riccardo Maceratini”/Patients’ Library Digital Library – Knowledge Centre “Riccardo Maceratini” at the Istituto Regina Elena – Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri in Rome, Italy.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. About IFLA IX
  4. Preface 1
  5. 1 Digital Literacy: An Overview and Introduction 7
  6. Part I Public and School Libraries Promote Digital Literacy through Digital Access and Skills Building
  7. 2 Bridging the Digital Divide: Empowering Marginalised Citizens in Developing Nations 29
  8. 3 Information Literacy in the Digital Age: Building Competencies Across the Learning Continuum 55
  9. 4 Fostering Digital Literacy in India: Government Initiatives and Digital Inclusion 69
  10. 5 Engaging Young People as Readers: Use of Social Media and Digital Literacy 93
  11. 6 The Library as Lifeline: Digital Inclusion in Post-Pandemic Philadelphia 113
  12. 7 Empowering Librarians and Learners: Building a Supportive Network for Teaching and Learning 128
  13. Part II Academic Libraries Take Novel Approaches to Advance Digital Skills
  14. 8 Transforming the Student Experience in Singapore Polytechnic Libraries Through a Collaborative Digital Literacy Framework 143
  15. 9 Supporting Digital Dexterity in Academic Library Communities Across Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand 162
  16. 10 Developing Student Digital Literacies Through Insights from Educators and Employers 180
  17. 11 Digital Literacy in Latin America: Pre- and Post-COVID-19 197
  18. 12 The Venn of Project Research: A Framework for Librarians and Students Tackling Real-World Challenges 215
  19. 13 Enhancing Student Transliteracy Through Archives: Designing an OER for Primary Source Mastery 230
  20. 14 Misinformation Literacy: Promoting Lifelong Ethical Digital Citizenship 246
  21. 15 Teaching Information Literacy to Would-Be Teachers 259
  22. 16 The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Literacy at the University of Queensland 275
  23. Part III The Influence of Digital Information
  24. 17 Be Not Afraid of a Meme: Developing Visual and Media Literacy Skills 291
  25. 18 Digital Health Literacy: An Evolving Picture 308
  26. 19 Combating Fake News: School Librarians and Digital and Visual Literacy 330
  27. 20 A News Literacy Curriculum Toolkit 349
  28. 21 Digital Learning and Digital Dilemmas 364
  29. 22 Digital Health Literacy: Improving Health Outcomes 383
  30. 23 Digital Literacy: Necessary but Not Sufficient for Learning 401
  31. Contributors 417
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110533583-023

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. About IFLA IX
  4. Preface 1
  5. 1 Digital Literacy: An Overview and Introduction 7
  6. Part I Public and School Libraries Promote Digital Literacy through Digital Access and Skills Building
  7. 2 Bridging the Digital Divide: Empowering Marginalised Citizens in Developing Nations 29
  8. 3 Information Literacy in the Digital Age: Building Competencies Across the Learning Continuum 55
  9. 4 Fostering Digital Literacy in India: Government Initiatives and Digital Inclusion 69
  10. 5 Engaging Young People as Readers: Use of Social Media and Digital Literacy 93
  11. 6 The Library as Lifeline: Digital Inclusion in Post-Pandemic Philadelphia 113
  12. 7 Empowering Librarians and Learners: Building a Supportive Network for Teaching and Learning 128
  13. Part II Academic Libraries Take Novel Approaches to Advance Digital Skills
  14. 8 Transforming the Student Experience in Singapore Polytechnic Libraries Through a Collaborative Digital Literacy Framework 143
  15. 9 Supporting Digital Dexterity in Academic Library Communities Across Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand 162
  16. 10 Developing Student Digital Literacies Through Insights from Educators and Employers 180
  17. 11 Digital Literacy in Latin America: Pre- and Post-COVID-19 197
  18. 12 The Venn of Project Research: A Framework for Librarians and Students Tackling Real-World Challenges 215
  19. 13 Enhancing Student Transliteracy Through Archives: Designing an OER for Primary Source Mastery 230
  20. 14 Misinformation Literacy: Promoting Lifelong Ethical Digital Citizenship 246
  21. 15 Teaching Information Literacy to Would-Be Teachers 259
  22. 16 The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Literacy at the University of Queensland 275
  23. Part III The Influence of Digital Information
  24. 17 Be Not Afraid of a Meme: Developing Visual and Media Literacy Skills 291
  25. 18 Digital Health Literacy: An Evolving Picture 308
  26. 19 Combating Fake News: School Librarians and Digital and Visual Literacy 330
  27. 20 A News Literacy Curriculum Toolkit 349
  28. 21 Digital Learning and Digital Dilemmas 364
  29. 22 Digital Health Literacy: Improving Health Outcomes 383
  30. 23 Digital Literacy: Necessary but Not Sufficient for Learning 401
  31. Contributors 417
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