Technology and Broadband Access for Health Literacy Programs

Digital tools, such as smartphone-based health apps and online patient portals, can greatly enhance patient engagement, support, and health outcomes. However, programs using these tools may find it difficult to engage patients who do not have the digital skills, training, or broadband access to utilize these tools effectively. Reliable, high-speed internet access continues to be a challenge in some parts of the U.S., often in more remote and rural locations.

Divides in technology and internet access make it even more important for programs to focus on methods for improving digital health literacy. Improving digital health literacy can help ensure that when people are presented with digital health information, the design is intentional and considers a variety of comprehension levels. Programs that incorporate health technology into interventions may wish to consider if it is feasible to provide different options for accessing the information: for example, through patient portals, websites, or mobile apps.

As rural health literacy programs look to use new technology to provide care to communities, it is important to implement strategies and focus on improving health outcomes. To better support communities in their use of technology, rural health literacy programs should consider:

• Conducting user testing and incorporating the perspectives of rural community members and rural experts in the design of digital programming
• Partnering with community members with experience in digital literacy training and facilitating connectivity, such as librarians, community health workers, and patient navigators
• Assessing broadband access and digital literacy across communities served
• Incorporating health literacy principles in design and implementation
• Providing digital skill training to community members and staff
• Using several different approaches to engage people, such as text messages, mobile apps, and online portals that limit the use of medical jargon

For more information about broadband access in rural communities and considerations for adopting health information technology for health literacy programs, see the Telehealth and Health Information Technology in Rural Healthcare Topic Guide.