Influence of Digital Health Literacy on Blood Pressure and Hemoglobin A1c in Patients With Comorbid Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension.

Abstract

Digital health literacy is emerging as an important element in chronic illness management, yet its relationship with clinical outcomes remains unclear. Utilizing data from the ongoing EXpanding Technology-Enabled, Nurse-Delivered Chronic Disease Care trial, this cross-sectional, correlational study explored the association between digital health literacy, health literacy, and patient outcomes, specifically blood pressure and hemoglobin A1c levels in 76 patients managing comorbid type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Results indicate patients had moderate digital health literacy, which was not significantly correlated with health literacy (r = 0.16, P = .169). Both bivariate and covariate-adjusted regression models indicated that digital health literacy was not significantly associated with patient outcomes (all P > .05, small effects). These findings suggest that although patients from diverse sociodemographic backgrounds may possess the digital health literacy to engage with digital health tools, this alone may not improve clinical outcomes. Although digital health literacy may not be directly related to improved clinical outcomes, future research should explore how digital health tools can be optimized to enhance patient engagement and address complex challenges in diverse populations managing chronic conditions.