UNSTRUCTURED eHealth literacy is an evolving concept that plays a central role in how individuals access, interpret, and apply digital health information. It influences the development of digital intervention content, how individuals interact with the information they receive, and how programmers and information scientists adapt their designs. Despite its importance, there is currently lacks a definition that aligns with the demands of the current digital age, making it challenging to compare outcomes across studies. Researchers often approach the concept from different perspectives, complicating interpretation and synthesis. Early frameworks, such as Norman and Skinner’s 2006 model, were developed before the rapid technological advances of Web 3.0 and 4.0, and therefore do not adequately reflect the current digital landscape. As such, there is a need to create a standardised definition of eHealth literacy. This project aims to develop an updated, standardised definition of eHealth literacy by synthesising existing definitions through an eDelphi process. Our objectives are: to collate information from existing literature and open-ended questions targeted at experts and end-users; to prioritise this information, and to use the prioritisation process to generate an updated definition. This prioritisation will use a general eDelphi process, which will be divided into three phases. The goal of the first phase will be to form an expert scientific committee that will develop the items for the eDelphi round and synthesise the analysis at the end of each round. The second phase will include at least three eDelphi rounds. The eDelphi rounds will involve ranking and voting on items that might form part of the definition of eHealth literacy. The third phase will involve a consensus committee that will meet to discuss and vote on the items generated from the eDelphi rounds, aiming to produce a final definition of eHealth literacy. The Delphi approach has been widely used in health research for building consensus and is particularly well-suited for defining evolving constructs. By integrating perspectives across disciplines and geographies, this process will ensure that the final definition is both comprehensive and inclusive. The anticipated outcome is a robust, contemporary definition of eHealth literacy that captures both cognitive and technical dimensions and reflects the realities of today’s digital health environment. This definition will provide a critical foundation for future research, improve comparability across studies, and support the design of digital interventions that are accessible, equitable, and responsive to the needs of diverse populations. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and international conferences to maximise reach and impact.
Comfort Titilope Sanuade (Fri,) studied this question.