Health sciences students’ Covid-19 digital health literacy – information reliability evaluation

Abstract Background In the Shanghai Declaration on promoting health in the 2030 Agenda of the UNs for Sustainable Development highlighted the importance of health literacy (HL) to empower individual citizens and enable their engagement in collective health promotion action. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the COVID-19 digital HL and the information-seeking behavior among students in Medical University - Sofia. Methods For the purpose of the study a web-based questionnaire was distributed among medical students from the Faculty of Medicine, and health sciences students from the Faculty of Public Health and the Medical College-Sofia, all from Medical University - Sofia in Bulgaria. The study was conducted between February and April 2022. In total 239 respondents participated, all anonymously and voluntarily. In data analysis established statistical methods were used. Results Data collected show that when students searched the Internet for information on the coronavirus or related topics, nearly two thirds (66%) of the respondents could either easy or very easy decide whether the information is reliable or not, and (81%) could easy or very easy decide whether the information is written with commercial interests. In addition among the respondents 82% find easy or very easy to check different websites to see whether they provide the same information. Conclusions From the presented analysis the following conclusion can be made: when navigate the social media platforms and forums, it is significant for health sciences students to obtain the appropriate searching skills, in order to be confident to identify the validity of the information and make informed decisions, as well as decide whether commercial interests are in focus of the provided information. Furthermore it is important to emphasize that searching competencies help to cross check the provided information. Key messages In emergency situations like the global COVID-19 pandemic, digital health literacy is an important factor when search and use reliable and crosschecked information in daily clinical practice. Health sciences students should be educated aiming to maximize their digital literacy, to acquire the competencies and skills and to be confident when search, and use digitally provided information.

Unhealthy food habits are included in the factors behind several severe health conditions. Their unequal distribution in the population has a complex background. Putting the problem ''How can we make our resources more reachable?'' instead of ''How can we reach these groups?'' changes focus from individual to organisational health literacy which opens windows of opportunity. A public health unit with commission to contribute to close health gaps identified a need to systematically develop its own health literacy. Critical examining was conducted by the quan/qual tool Health equlibrium methodology. Reflections on accessability and acceptability of resources offered by the unit were documented and used for methodolocigal development. Aims were to develop professional judgment on how to contribute to fair health outcome and to improve support for healthy habits. Data used were collected 2019-2021.What hinders people from healthier food habits? How can we adjust our practice? Documentation included organised breakfast-talks, food-talk with cultural interpreters, lectures with sports-club health ambassadors, health groups with people of different maternal language, meetings with parents at open pre-school, staff in health promotion commissions and elderly. Problems identified were high costs on healthy food and on travels to vending points, traditional large sugar-intake, marketing of unhealthy food to children, failure to understand information from Swedish Food Agency (except the Keyhole food labelling which was much appreciated). A model for shop-walks with cultural interpreters, more accessible versions of leaflet-materials and dialogue-meetings about food in different settings were developed. Reflections on the unit's communication lead to change of settings for meetings and refined ways to talk about parenthood, women's role and aspects of ethnicity. Systematic self-reflection strenghtens organisational health literacy and may contribute to fair health outcomes Key messages: Organisational health literacy need to be developed purposedly. Scarcity is a barrier for a healthy diet also in a welfare state like Sweden.

Background:
In the Shanghai Declaration on promoting health in the 2030 Agenda of the UNs for Sustainable Development highlighted the importance of health literacy (HL) to empower individual citizens and enable their engagement in collective health promotion action. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the COVID-19 digital HL and the information-seeking behavior among students in Medical University -Sofia.

Methods:
For the purpose of the study a web-based questionnaire was distributed among medical students from the Faculty of Medicine, and health sciences students from the Faculty of Public Health and the Medical College-Sofia, all from Medical University -Sofia in Bulgaria. The study was conducted between February and April 2022. In total 239 respondents participated, all anonymously and voluntarily. In data analysis established statistical methods were used.

Results:
Data collected show that when students searched the Internet for information on the coronavirus or related topics, nearly two thirds (66%) of the respondents could either easy or very easy decide whether the information is reliable or not, and (81%) could easy or very easy decide whether the information is written with commercial interests. In addition among the respondents 82% find easy or very easy to check different websites to see whether they provide the same information.

Conclusions:
From the presented analysis the following conclusion can be made: when navigate the social media platforms and forums, it is significant for health sciences students to obtain the appropriate searching skills, in order to be confident to identify the validity of the information and make informed decisions, as well as decide whether commercial interests are in focus of the provided information. Furthermore it is important to emphasize that searching competencies help to cross check the provided information.

Key messages:
In emergency situations like the global COVID-19 pandemic, digital health literacy is an important factor when search and use reliable and crosschecked information in daily clinical practice. Health sciences students should be educated aiming to maximize their digital literacy, to acquire the competencies and skills and to be confident when search, and use digitally provided information.

Methods:
In order to build a practical and effective process note, reflecting the needs and points of attention of all involved participants, different methods were combined: a literature review, workshops with the umbrellas of patient associations, patients and patient representatives, Delphi survey and a pilot project involving patients as research partners.

Results:
The resulting guidance identified 5 prerequisites and conditions for implementation of patient involvement at the organisational level. The guidance also focused on how to involve patients (which patients, how, when, what for) and included general recommendations to researchers during the collaboration (communication, relational aspects, animation techniques, specific needs of patients). Recommendations for the reporting and evaluation of PI were also formulated. Alongside the guidance for researchers, supports for patients were also developed and validated by the patient associations.

Conclusions:
The KCE guidance for PI in research could inspire other agencies willing to implement PI in their practices.