ONLINE LITERACY AMONG THE RUSSIAN POPULATION IN MATTERS OF HEALTH INFORMATION

Significance. The present study addresses the problem of online literacy among Russians and residents of the metropolis in matters of health information related to the rapid development of digital medical services, as well as the importance of their use for making informed decisions on health issues. Purpose. To examine the features of online literacy among Russians and Muscovites in matters of health information. Material and methods. The study consisted of two stages: during the first stage, an All-Russian online survey was conducted on a sample of 870 Russians; during the second stage, a computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) was conducted on a sample of 800 permanent residents of Moscow. Both study samples filled out the eHEALS online literacy scale. The sample of Muscovites also answered a number of questions about the degree of trust in information received from artificial intelligence, experience in using generative neural networks, etc. Results. The results show that Muscovites have a higher level of online health literacy compared to Russians, while Russians are more likely to use the Internet to make health decisions due to limited access to medical services in the regions. Trust in digital assistants, the use of generative neural networks, and satisfaction with medical services are higher among Muscovites with a high level of online literacy. Conclusion. Thus, the digital maturity of Muscovites is manifested in the ability to use digital health services at a higher level of autonomy, awareness and competence, which confirms their advanced status in mastering electronic medical instruments. Scope of application. A higher online literacy among Muscovites calls for rethinking the digital policy: increased access to technology should be accompanied by supporting regional users to prevent deeper digital inequality in the healthcare sector. Keywords: eHEALS; eHealth Literacy Scale; digital assistant; satisfaction with expertise of doctors; health information; medical information; informed patient; Muscovites.