2. e-health – How technology changes the way we manage our health

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), digital technologies are now an integral part of daily life. The global population has never been more interconnected. Innovation, particularly in the digital sector, is taking place unprecedentedly. Even so, its application to improve the health of populations remains largely untapped, and there is huge scope for using digital health solutions.

For this reason, e-health, recognised as one of the fastest-growing sectors today, harnesses the power of digital technologies and health innovation to contribute to global health and well-being achievement.

This module aims to provide the necessary information to low-skilled adults to understand the e-health sector’s importance and help them improve their knowledge and skills in this area.

It includes five stages of research, beginning with the definition of e-health and the way it helps healthcare and wellness, then analyses the characteristics and types of the e-health sector, the importance of e-health literacy, the various opportunities and possible threats of the e-health sector and it concludes with the benefits of current technologies related to e-health.

Learning outcomes:

  • Understand the use of e-health in everyday life and how it helps healthcare and wellness.
  • Identify the characteristics and domains of e-health.
  • Understand e-health literacy and its importance.
  • Identify the benefits and risks that accelerate the e-health sector.

Duration: 3,5 hours.

Key words: e-health sector, healthcare & wellness, e-health technologies and services, e-health literacy

References

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Understanding Health Literacy. Centers

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Digital Health & Wellness (Definition and Dimensions) - GoMedii (Updated). (2018, January

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Shaw, T., McGregor, D., Brunner, M., Keep, M., Janssen, A., & Barnet, S. (2017). What is

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5676031/

eHealth, when technology becomes the key to social well-being. (n.d.). Iberdrola.

https://www.iberdrola.com/innovation/ehealth

e-Health - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (2010). Sciencedirect.com. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/e-health

Sandesh Adhikari. (2019, September 5). What is E-health? Its Characteristics, Benefits and

Challenges ! Public Health Notes.

https://www.publichealthnotes.com/what-is-e-health-its-characteristics-benefits-and challenges/

Zogia, P. (2017, March). The types of e-Health and their applications in Healthcare. University of Piraeus.

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/unipi/10464/Zioga_Panagiota.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y