Digital health literacy and perceptions of infectious diseases in primary care: potential implications for medical education

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the relationship between perceptions of infectious diseases and digital health literacy among adults attending a primary care setting and to explore the potential implications of these findings for patient education and medical education.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at an Educational Family Health Center affiliated with a university department of family medicine between May and August 2024. A total of 324 adults were included. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Perceptions of Infectious Diseases Scale, and the Digital Health Literacy Scale. Results: The mean age of the participants was 33.9 ± 11.3 years, and 59.3% were female. Healthcare professionals were reported as the primary source of health information by 66.4% of participants, whereas 94.4% stated that they had never searched for health-related information online. A weak positive correlation was identified between total scores on the Perceptions of Infectious Diseases Scale and the Digital Health Literacy Scale. Higher digital health literacy levels were associated with higher educational attainment and better self-rated health status. PConclusion: These findings highlight the potential importance of strengthening physicians’ roles as digital health educators within medical education curricula to support patient education, reduce misinformation, and improve infectious disease prevention strategies.