Understanding Digital Health Literacy: A Narrative Review of Determinants, Barriers, and Health Outcomes

Abstract

Digital health literacy refers to the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health information from digital sources, and it is increasingly recognized as a determinant of health behaviors, outcomes, and equity. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on digital health literacy within an integrative framework linking its determinants, core competencies, and health outcomes. Multiple sociodemographic and structural factors, including age, education, income, and marital status, shape an individual's digital health literacy, producing disparities in access to and use of digital health resources. Vulnerable groups, such as rural and low-income populations and older adults, face particular barriers, while the spread of online misinformation and the digital divide further heighten the need for these skills. The review also considers instruments used to measure digital health literacy and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and digital therapeutics, that are reshaping how individuals engage with health information. Strategies such as community-based education, user-centered tool design, and multi-stakeholder collaboration can strengthen digital health literacy, but their success depends on equitable access, sustained community engagement, and rigorous, measurable evaluation. Strengthening digital health literacy holds promise for improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities across populations.