The association of electronic health literacy with behavioural and psychological coronary artery disease risk factors in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: a 12-month follow-up study

Abstract

Aims Fundamental roadblocks, such as non-use and low electronic health (eHealth) literacy, prevent the implementation of eHealth resources. The aims were to study internet usage for health information and eHealth literacy in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Further, we aimed to evaluate temporal changes and determine whether the use of the internet to find health information and eHealth literacy were associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors at the index admission and 12-month follow-up of the same population.

Methods and results This prospective longitudinal study recruited 2924 adult patients with internet access treated by PCI in two Nordic countries. Assessments were made at baseline and 12-month follow-up, including a de novo question Have you used the internet to find information about health?, the eHealth literacy scale, and assessment of clinical, behavioural, and psychological CAD risk factors. Regression analyses were used. Patients’ use of the internet for health information and their eHealth literacy were moderate at baseline but significantly lower at 12-month follow-up. Non-users of the internet for health information were more often smokers and had a lower burden of anxiety symptoms. Lower eHealth literacy was associated with a higher burden of depression symptoms at baseline and lower physical activity and being a smoker at baseline and at 12-month follow-up.

Conclusion Non-use of the internet and lower eHealth literacy need to be considered when implementing eHealth resources, as they are associated with behavioural and psychological CAD risk factors. eHealth should therefore be designed and implemented with high-risk CAD patients in mind.