TY - GEN A1 - De Santis, Karina Karolina A1 - Muellmann, Saskia A1 - Pan, Chen-Chia A1 - Hoffmann, Stephanie A1 - Spallek, Jacob A1 - Haug, Ulrike A1 - Zeeb, Hajo T1 - Digitisation and health: Second nationwide survey of internet users in Germany T2 - Digital Health N2 - Objective: Rapid digitisation of health occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. In October 2020, we conducted a survey on digital health technology use in Germany. This study aimed to conduct a second survey to investigate in more detail the internet use in health context and digital technology use for health promotion and disease prevention in Germany. Methods: A cross-sectional, nationwide telephone survey was conducted in November 2022. Anonymous data on internet and digital technology use, digital health literacy, and sociodemographic characteristics were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regressions. Results: The 1020 participants were aged 18–92 years, 53% were male, 62% completed primary or secondary education, 71% resided in large cities, and 45% reported a country-average net household income. Overall, 61% reported internet use in health context via 1–4 devices. Among those, more than 50% used the internet and apps to obtain general health information and less than 50% used digital technologies for physical activity promotion or cancer prevention. Overall, 34% were confident in using the internet for health decisions and 71% preferred to receive health information non-digitally (e.g. on paper). Internet, app, and digital technology use were associated with higher digital health literacy and income, and residence in larger cities. Digital technologies were used for physical activity promotion by younger and for cancer prevention by older participants. Conclusion: The internet and digital technologies were predominantly used to obtain health information, but less often for health promotion and disease prevention in 2022 in Germany. While health app and digital technology use for physical activity promotion increased, the confidence in using online information for health decisions decreased in 2022 relative to 2020. Factors that promote confidence in online health information and digital technology use for health promotion and disease prevention need to be investigated in future studies. Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241301457 VL - Volume 10 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Pan, Chen-Chia A1 - De Santis, Karina Karolina A1 - Muellmann, Saskia A1 - Hoffmann, Stephanie A1 - Spallek, Jacob A1 - Pedros Barnils, Nuria A1 - Ahrens, Wolfgang A1 - Zeeb, Hajo A1 - Schütz, Benjamin T1 - Sociodemographics and digital health literacy in using wearables for health promotion and disease prevention : cross-sectional nationwide survey in Germany T2 - Journal of prevention N2 - Background Wearable technologies have the potential to support health promotion and disease prevention. However, it remains unclear how the role of social determinants of health (SDoH) and digital determinants of health (DDoH) plays in this context. Objective This study investigates differences in sociodemographic factors and digital health literacy between wearable users and non-users, whether the association with wearable use varies across age groups and its potential mediator. Methods A cross-sectional nationwide telephone survey was conducted in November 2022 in a panel of adult internet users in Germany. Assessments included self-reported wearable use, sociodemographic factors (sex, age, education, household size and income, and residence region), and digital health literacy (measured with the eHealth Literacy Scale, eHEALS). Associations between wearable use, sociodemographic factors and digital health literacy were analyzed using binomial logistic regression models in the total sample and with age group stratification, with a supplementary mediation analysis examining digital health literacy as a mediator in the relationship between age and wearable use. Results Overall, 24% (223/932) of participants (52% male, mean age 55.6 years) reported using wearables for health. Wearable use was lower among participants aged 65 and above, with lower educational attainment, living in 1–2 person households, with below-average household income, and residing in smaller cities or former East Germany. Wearable use prevalence is substantially lower in older age groups (18–40: 36%; 41–64: 26%; 65+:14%). Wearable users reported higher levels of digital health literacy (mean: 30.7, SD = 5) than non-users (mean: 28.3, SD = 6). Stratified analyses indicate that the association between digital health literacy and wearable use varies by age group, with significant positive association observed in older age groups (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.07 in age group 18–40; OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.12 in age group 41–64; OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.19 in age group 65+). Mediation analysis indicated that digital health literacy partially mediates the relationship between age and wearable use (indirect effect: coefficient = -0.0156, 95% CI: -0.0244 to -0.00791, p <.001). Conclusions This study indicates sociodemographic disparities in wearable use among the German population and differences in digital health literacy between wearable users and non-users. A generational divide in wearable use was identified, with older adults being less likely to embrace this technology. This was especially true for older adults with lower digital health literacy. Future public health initiatives employing health technologies should take SDoH and DDoH into consideration to ensure effective and equitable impacts. Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-024-00821-y SN - 2731-5533 SN - 2731-5541 VL - 46 IS - 3 SP - 371 EP - 391 PB - Springer US CY - New York ER -