Health Literacy, Online

Online health literacy is becoming an increasingly important issue as information dissemination channels shift from primarily print to digital formats. More health information and services are moving online and more Americans are going online to search for health information. The Internet has become a key source of health information for many. In fact, over 70 percent of Americans have looked online for health information within the past year. This transition to online health information delivery creates a unique set of challenges for Web users with limited literacy skills or limited experience on the Internet. For many of these users, the Web can be stressful, overwhelming, and even inaccessible. Much of this stress is the result of complex health information and poorly designed Web sites.

Roughly one ...