국내 발달장애인의 디지털 헬스리터러시 현황: 장벽, 기회 그리고 전망

• Published in: 의료커뮤니케이션 Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 71 - 79
• Main Authors: 방관욱, Gwanwook Bang, 황지영, Jiyoung Hwang, 박인환, Inhwan Park, 박소연, So-youn Park
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한의료커뮤니케이션학회 30.06.2024
• Subjects: Digital divide; Digital health literacy; Medical education; People with developmental disabilities; 디지털 헬스리터러시; 발달장애인; 의학교육; 의학일반; 정보격차
• ISSN: 1975-888X; 2713-6825
• DOI: 10.15715/kjhcom.2024.19.1.71

Purpose : Health literacy, or the ability to find, understand, and use health information, is a key focus in South Korea’s ‘5th National Health Promotion Comprehensive Plan.’ However, despite South Korea’s high internet penetration, research on digital health information use among people with developmental disabilities is limited. This study assesses the current state of digital health literacy in this population. Methods : A survey was conducted on the people with disabilities and people without disabilities. General digital health information was measured using an 8-item scale by Skinner (2006), and COVID-19-related health information was assessed with a 10-item tool developed by the research team. A total of 365 responses were analyzed, comprising people with physical disabilities (189), developmental disabilities (82), and those without disabilities (94). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 28, including MANOVA and descriptive statistics. Results : eHealth scores for individuals with developmental disabilities (24.6 ± 9.8) were significantly lower than those with physical disabilities (32.6 ± 7.9) and those without disabilities (33.9 ± 9.1). Similarly, Covid-eHealth scores were lower for individuals with developmental disabilities (24.6 ± 8.4) compared to those with physical disabilities (29.5 ± 6.8) and those without disabilities (31.3 ± 7.7). The differences in both cases were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion : This study represents the first comprehensive examination of digital health literacy among people with developmental disabilities in South Korea. The findings indicate that while this group has lower digital health literacy, appropriate education and support can improve their skills. This underscores the need for policies and support systems to ensure they can access and effectively use digital health information, especially as healthcare becomes more digital.