A influência do letramento digital em saúde na adesão ao tratamento de pacientes com Diabetes Mellitus: evidências de um mutirão em Goiânia

João Carlos  Veloso de Souza; Monike  Lourenço Dias Rodrigues

Authors

João Carlos Veloso de Souza Graduando(a) em Medicina Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia/GO, Brasil. Autor https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4110-5250
Monike Lourenço Dias Rodrigues Docente Graduada em Medicina pela Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia/GO, Brasil Autor https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3879-7185

Keywords:

Diabetes mellitus, Digital health literacy, Digital technologies, Treatment Adherence

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the chronic diseases with the greatest impact on global public health, requiring continuous follow-up and active patient participation in self-care. In this context, digital health literacy has become an essential skill for seeking, understanding, and using health information available in digital environments, potentially influencing treatment adherence and health-related decision-making. This study aimed to evaluate the digital health literacy profile of individuals with diabetes mellitus who participated in the “Goiás United Against Diabetes” health campaign, held in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil, in 2025. This was an observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study involving 65 individuals with self-reported diabetes mellitus. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics. It was observed that 78.5% of participants used smartphones to access the internet, and 55.4% searched for health-related information online. Among those who sought information on the internet, WhatsApp was the most frequently used digital tool (83.3%), while Google was the main source of health information (66.7%). Furthermore, 58.3% reported having received health-related fake news, and 47.2% stated that information provided by healthcare professionals or recognized sources was their primary criterion for assessing reliability. In conclusion, although access to digital technologies is widespread among participants, challenges remain regarding the critical evaluation of online health information, highlighting the need for educational initiatives aimed at strengthening digital health literacy and promoting self-care among individuals with diabetes mellitus.

References

Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Estratégias para o cuidado da pessoa com doença crônica: diabetes mellitus. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2013.

Sociedade Brasileira de Diabetes. Diretrizes da Sociedade Brasileira de Diabetes 2024–2025. São Paulo: Clannad; 2024.

Menezes AHN, Silva MA, Cardoso AL. Uso da internet para busca de informações em saúde: revisão integrativa da literatura. Saúde Debate. 2021;45(130):1062-75.

Norman CD, Skinner HA. eHealth literacy: essential skills for consumer health in a networked world. J Med Internet Res. 2006;8(2):e9.

Norman CD, Skinner HA. eHEALS: the eHealth Literacy Scale. J Med Internet Res. 2006;8(4):e27.

Lima-Pereira P, Bermeo P, Cavaco A. Health literacy and chronic disease management: a systematic review. Int J Public Health. 2022;67:1604322.

Van der Vaart R, Dijkstra A, Tieleman M. The role of digital health literacy in chronic disease self-management. Patient Educ Couns. 2023;106(1):23-31.

Paixão MC, Silva RM. A influência das mídias digitais no comportamento em saúde de pacientes com doenças crônicas. Ciênc Saúde Coletiva. 2023;28(3):741-50.

Mackert M, Chambers K, Donovan E. Health literacy and health information technology adoption. J Health Commun. 2016;21(2):174-81.

Park H, Lee E. Self-reported eHealth literacy among older adults: a systematic review. J Med Internet Res. 2015;17(4):e85.

Amante LN, Kempfer SS, Silva DMGV. Educação em saúde e tecnologias digitais: desafios e perspectivas para o cuidado de pessoas com doenças crônicas. Rev Bras Enferm. 2021;74(5):e20200892.