Intergenerational online health information searching and brokering: Framing health literacy as a family asset

Year Published:

Abstract

Latino populations are disproportionately impacted by health disparities and face both connectivity and health literacy challenges. As evidenced by the current global pandemic, access to reliable online health-related information and the ability to apply that information is critical to achieving health equity. Through a qualitative study on how Latino families collaborate to access online health resources, this work frames health literacy as a family-level mechanism. Interviews with parent-child dyads combined with online search tasks reveal how families integrate their individual skillsets to obtain, process, and understand online information about illnesses, symptoms, and even medical diagnoses. As they engage in intergenerational online health information searching and brokering, families creatively navigate information and communication technologies (ICTs) to address a range of health needs. Bilingual children help immigrant parents obtain urgent and non-urgent health information needed to care for other family members. When children are tasked with addressing a health need critical to their parent’s wellbeing, they collaborate with their parents to obtain, interpret, and apply online health information. Intergenerational online health information searching and brokering thus reveals family-level strengths that can be leveraged to promote both health and digital literacy among marginalized populations.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

What works to improve digital inclusion among resettled refugees?

Among digital inclusion programs serving marginalized populations, there is strong evidence for common elements of success as well as common barriers. Programs serving refugees should incorporate these evidence-based elements. Successful digital inclusion programs for marginalized populations share the following characteristics: social support, collaborative learning, hands-on experience, inclusive program design, a multi-faceted approach, and simple user […]

About this study

AGE: Multiple Age Groups

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: No evidence about impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Free

GENDER: All

HOST COUNTRY: United States

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High

INTERVENTION DURATION: N/A

INTERVENTION: None Tested

OUTCOME AREA: Digital Inclusion

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Multiple Regions

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Suggestive

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2020

More STUDIES