Digital health literacy in schools: empirically navigating novel data from students and teachers

Abstract With the introduction of the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp+) by the European Commission, European schools have committed to promoting digital and media literacy systematically. DigComp+ shares several intersections with health literacy, e.g., information management, using digital tools, and taking action on the digital and commercial determinants of health, making it an ideal curriculum to teach digital health literacy in schools. However, internationally, not much is known about digital health literacy in schools. The aim of this study is to present data from a representative school study of students and teachers in 16 federal states in Germany. Data was collected using an online survey from a representative sample of N = 1,448 students (9-18 years) and a convenient sample of N = 1,600 teachers. With SPSS, descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and internal consistency were calculated. Cronbach’s alpha indicated good internal consistency for both tools. Low digital health literacy was reported by 52,9 of students and ∼39,3% of teachers. In students, low digital health literacy linked with younger age (X2 (2)=34.69, p = <.001), family affluence (X2 (4)=24.16, p = <.001), and parental education (X2 (2)=8.26, p=.016). In teachers, it was linked to age (p < .048), school position (p < .001), and their own digital health literacy DHL (p < .001). More than 45% of teachers reported not teaching digital health literacy in schools, while on average, 55% of students indicated they would not learn it in schools. Based on the first digital health literacy in schools study, results suggest DigComp+ is almost not used to teach digital health literacy and both students and teachers have significant deficits in their digital health literacy. Teachers should be trained in digital health literacy so that they can include it in their classroom teachings to promote the digital health literacy of students.