The purpose of this research study is to determine how adults with low literacy skills access and evaluate health information on the Internet. Although the Internet is a powerful vehicle for disseminating health information, most health websites require at least a high-school reading proficiency for optimal access. The ability of low literacy adults to navigate the Internet to find health information and their responses to that information are largely unknown. In order to further our understanding of Internet usage by low-literacy adults seeking health information, this project aims to: 1. Identify strategies used by low literacy individuals to search for health information on the Internet and to navigate within and between health websites. Subjects will search for information on the Internet in response to short health-related vignettes. Screen capture software and observational logs will be used during these one-on-one sessions. Results of this aim will reveal strategies that website creators may use in order to ensure that low-literacy individuals access information of greatest importance on their sites. 2. Categorize responses of low SES individuals towards online health information. This study will establish whether low-literacy individuals are able to read the health information they find online and successfully answer questions based on website content. Analyses will include length of time spent at sites, the ability of subjects to navigate toward useful information, and the subjective responses of subjects. 3. Identify evaluation criteria used by low-literacy individuals in rating health websites. Common themes revealing website features which subjects view as particularly helpful or unhelpful will be extracted. These will be compared to published reports of criteria used by Internet users in rating mainstream health sites. 4. Develop a prototype website incorporating identified preferences of low literacy individuals and test subjects' ability to navigate the site and recall key knowledge points presented on it. Subjects' interactions with this site will be compared to interactions with a control site presenting the same information in a standard format and language level.
This aim will facilitate the development of web resources that provide accessible health information to individuals from low incomes and low literacy levels and may ultimately augment the health literacy of members of this population.
