The eHealth literacy and its sociodemographic determinants among adult inpatients in Web 3.0 context: a cross-sectional study

The rise of Web 3.0 in healthcare has made eHealth literacy essential. Patients experiencing prolonged hospital stays encounter unique challenges with digital tools. However, a critical gap remains in understanding their eHealth literacy due to the absence of assessment instruments tailored to contemporary healthcare systems. This study aimed to evaluate eHealth literacy and identify its sociodemographic determinants among adult inpatients. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 532 adult inpatients in Hunan, China, using randomized cluster sampling. Data were collected with the Adult Inpatient eHealth Literacy Scale, an instrument developed to assess multiple literacy domains relevant to digital healthcare use in the Web 3.0 context. Multiple linear stepwise regression was performed to identify factors associated with eHealth literacy. The mean score of eHealth literacy was 141.12 ± 35.03, with a scoring rate of 64.15%. The scoring rates for traditional literacy, information literacy, media literacy, health literacy, computer literacy, and scientific literacy were 68.37%, 63.82%, 60.86%, 67.13%, 61.65%, 65.25%, respectively. Lower eHealth literacy was associated with older age, lower educational level, fewer years of electronic device use, limited experience with eHealth tools, lower perceived usefulness, higher perceived ease of use, and lower willingness to learn ( P < 0.05). The final regression model explained 62.20% of the total variability. Adult inpatients demonstrated an overall moderate level of eHealth literacy, with notable deficiencies in media, computer, and information literacy. Tailoring eHealth tools to individuals from diverse backgrounds is essential to mitigate health disparities. Healthcare professionals are well positioned to serve as critical facilitators in supporting inpatients’ engagement with emerging digital technologies. Patient-centered training programs aimed at strengthening foundational digital and information-processing skills are warranted to promote the safe, effective, and equitable use of eHealth services and improve health outcomes.