Digital Health Literacy and Social Participation in Individuals With Hemiplegia

Overview

This cross-sectional observational study aims to investigate the association between digital health literacy and social participation in individuals with hemiplegia after stroke. A total of 250 adults with a history of stroke at least 6 months previously will be included. Digital health literacy will be assessed using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and social participation will be assessed using the Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI). The secondary aim is to examine the associations of digital health literacy with anxiety and depression, functional independence, and fatigue.

Stroke-related hemiplegia may affect not only motor function and independence in activities of daily living but also individuals' ability to participate in family, social, and community life. With the increasing use of online health information, mobile health applications, and electronic health services, digital health literacy may play an important role in access to health information, self-management, and engagement in rehabilitation. This study is designed as a single-center, cross-sectional observational study. It will include 250 adults aged 18 years or older who have hemiplegia following a stroke that occurred at least 6 months previously. Participants must be able to communicate, provide written informed consent, and have a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 24 or higher. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including age, sex, education level, employment status, stroke duration, affected side, assistive device use, functional ambulation level, smartphone use, internet use, and use of electronic health services, will be recorded. Digital health literacy will be evaluated using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Social participation, the primary outcome of the study, will be evaluated using the Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI). Anxiety and depressive symptoms will be assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), functional independence using the Barthel Index, fatigue using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and cognitive status using the Mini-Mental State Examination. The primary analysis will examine the association between the eHEALS total score and the RNLI total score. Multiple linear regression analysis will be used to investigate whether digital health literacy is independently associated with social participation after accounting for relevant sociodemographic and clinical variables.