Table 1.
Participant characteristics (N=998).
| Characteristics | Value | ||
| Sex, n (%) | |||
|
|
Female | 536 (53.7) | |
|
|
Male | 462 (46.3) | |
| Age (years), n (%) | |||
|
|
18 to <35 | 33 (3.3) | |
|
|
35 to <55 | 169 (16.9) | |
|
|
55 to <75 | 562 (56.3) | |
|
|
≥75 | 234 (23.4) | |
| Spoke English at home, n (%) | 8 (0.8) | ||
| Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, n (%) | 18 (1.8) | ||
| Education level, n (%) | |||
|
|
Completed primary school or below | 91 (9.1) | |
|
|
Did not complete secondary school | 218 (21.8) | |
|
|
Completed secondary school | 136 (13.6) | |
|
|
Trade, apprenticeship, certificate, or diploma | 246 (24.6) | |
|
|
University | 307 (30.8) | |
| Reported long-standing conditionsa, n (%) | |||
|
|
Arthritis | 144 (14.4) | |
|
|
Asthma | 42 (4.2) | |
|
|
Cancer | 53 (5.3) | |
|
|
Cardiovascular disease or heart problems | 129 (12.9) | |
|
|
Diabetes | 84 (8.4) | |
|
|
Anxiety | 29 (2.9) | |
|
|
Depression | 45 (4.5) | |
|
|
Chronic pain | 87 (8.7) | |
| Number of long-standing conditions reportedb, n (%) | |||
|
|
0 | 585 (58.6) | |
|
|
1 | 272 (27.3) | |
|
|
2 | 102 (10.2) | |
|
|
3 or more | 39 (3.9) | |
| Number of contacts with a health professional in the past 12 months, n (%) | |||
|
|
12 or more | 269 (27) | |
|
|
7 to 11 | 196 (19.6) | |
|
|
2 to 6 | 446 (44.7) | |
|
|
Once | 61 (6.1) | |
|
|
Not at all | 26 (2.6) | |
| Self-rated health, n (%) | |||
|
|
Excellent | 170 (17) | |
|
|
Very good | 270 (27.1) | |
|
|
Good | 293 (29.4) | |
|
|
Fair | 165 (16.5) | |
|
|
Poor | 76 (7.6) | |
|
|
Very poor | 24 (2.4) | |
| Whether internet is used to search for health-related information, n (%) | |||
|
|
Yes | 578 (57.9) | |
|
|
No | 420 (42.1) | |
| eHealth Literacy Questionnaire scales (score range 1 to 4), mean (95% CI) | |||
|
|
1. Using technology to process health information | 2.34 (2.31-2.38) | |
|
|
2. Understanding of health concepts and language | 2.93 (2.91-2.96) | |
|
|
3. Ability to actively engage with digital services | 2.46 (2.42-2.49) | |
|
|
4. Feel safe and in control | 2.59 (2.56-2.63) | |
|
|
5. Motivated to engage with digital services | 2.40 (2.37-2.44) | |
|
|
6. Access to digital services that work | 2.51 (2.48-2.54) | |
|
|
7. Digital services that suit individual needs | 2.39 (2.35-2.42) | |
| Health Literacy Questionnaire scales (score range 1 to 4), mean (95% CI) | |||
|
|
1. Feeling understood and supported by health care providers | 3.20 (3.10-3.20) | |
|
|
3. Actively managing my health | 3.02 (2.99-3.05) | |
|
|
4. Social support for health | 3.05 (3.02-3.08) | |
| Health Literacy Questionnaire (score range 1 to 5), mean (95% CI) scale | |||
|
|
7. Navigating the health care system | 3.95 (3.90-3.99) | |
aParticipants might select more than one condition.
bNumber based on long-standing conditions selected by participants (range 0-8).