Abstract
This study considers the transformative role of online symptom checkers (OSCs), point-of-care test (POCT) devices, decision support tools, digital health technologies, and in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) in making health, wellbeing, and self-care interventions more accessible. It emphasizes how these advancements empower individuals on their self-care journey, thereby fostering a new paradigm in health literacy. The emergence of OSCs, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and extensive medical databases, has significantly altered the landscape of initial health-seeking behaviours. By offering preliminary guidance, OSCs can also help diminish barriers to initial healthcare access to diverse populations. POCT and IVDs are also revolutionizing the speed and precision of disease diagnosis and management, especially in settings with limited resources. We explore how these foundational elements of medical decision-making, in tandem with the widespread adoption of digital health technologies and wearable devices, are instrumental in enhancing health literacy and shaping self-care practices. Rapid advances in technology coupled with the pervasive use of smartphone applications is forging new pathways for continuous health monitoring and individualized care. The discussion culminates by accentuating the critical themes of health literacy and self-care literacy and the impact of these technologies in democratizing access to self-care knowledge, products, services and interventions. It highlights their importance in maximizing the benefits of these digital health tools for individual health management and community health enhancement, and how these evolving technologies are facilitating access to healthcare and empowering
Presenters
Austen El OstaDirector, Self-Care Academic Research Unit, Imperial College London, Hammersmith and Fulham, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Health Promotion and Education
KEYWORDS
Self-Care, Literacy, Democrstising Access, Digital Helath Tools
