Digital Health Communication Strategies for Supporting Healthy Lifestyles in Adults with Noncommunicable Diseases and  Limited Health Literacy: A Scoping Review

Kija  Malale; Marianne  Reid; Anne  Moorhead

doi:10.18502/ijph.v54i10.20120

Kija Malale School of Nursing, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Marianne Reid School of Nursing, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Anne Moorhead School of Communication & Media, Institute for Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v54i10.20120

Keywords: Digital health; Health literacy; Healthy lifestyle; mHealth; Noncommunicable diseases

Abstract

Background: Digital health technologies are pivotal in delivering the WHO-recommended healthy lifestyle messages to reduce premature mortality associated with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). However, evidence on effective strategies to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours among patients with limited health literacy remains insufficient. This review explores current digital health communication strategies that support healthy lifestyles in adults with NCDs and low health literacy.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework, focusing on adults with NCDs and limited health literacy, digital health communication strategies, and healthy lifestyle behaviours. Searches were performed across 14 electronic databases and bibliographies of relevant studies from Jan 2012 to Nov 2022. Only primary studies published in English were included. Findings were reported following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.

Results: Overall, 12 studies involving 15,175 participants, predominantly from high-income countries, met the inclusion criteria. Five digital health communication strategies were identified: telecommunication-based coaching, mobile applications, text messaging programs, eHealth and web-based tools, and bundled or multimodal interventions. These strategies demonstrated positive impacts on supporting healthy lifestyle behaviours.

Conclusion: This review highlights the potential of diverse digital health communication strategies to enhance healthy lifestyle behaviours in adults with NCDs and limited health literacy. Tailoring these strategies to individual preferences is critical for optimizing outcomes. Further research is required to validate these findings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.