Chereka Alex Ayenew, Shibabaw Adamu Ambachew, Butta Fikadu Wake, Tadesse Mathias Nega, Abebe Mekashaw Tareke, Atanie Fekadu Ayelgn, Kitil Gemeda Wakgari
Department of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia.
Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering and Technology, Kebri Dehar University, Kebri Dehar, Ethiopia.
PLOS Digit Health. 2025 Jan 27;4(1):e0000719. doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000719. eCollection 2025 Jan.
The Internet is a crucial source of health information, providing access to vast volumes of high-quality, up-to-date, and relevant healthcare information. Its impact extends beyond information access, influencing medical practice through the widespread adoption of telemedicine and evidence-based medicine. Despite the significant global increase in internet usage, Africa lags in internet penetration, particularly in utilizing the internet for health information. This study aims to systematically review the literature to explore barriers to accessing health information on the Internet in African countries.
The study was conducted from January 1 to February 28, 2023. It followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline to systematically review published studies investigating the utilization of the Internet for health information in African countries. A comprehensive search was conducted across various databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Hinari, CINAHL, and Global Health. The inclusion criteria were applied, resulting in the selection of six studies that formed the basis for our analysis.
This systematic review identifies eleven barriers to accessing health information on the internet. These include a lack of ownership of smart electronic devices, infrequent internet use, limited internet access, low E-health and computer literacy, slow internet connection, high cost of internet access, insufficient information search skills, residing in rural areas, dealing with diverse fields, and having low perceptions.
Improving our understanding of barriers to accessing health information online is essential for policymakers, governments, academics, and healthcare professionals. To enhance the use of the Internet for health information and strengthen the overall health system, policymakers should prioritize increasing Internet accessibility, reducing costs, improving connections, offering basic computer skills training, and ensuring the availability of electronic devices in all institutions.
互联网是健康信息的重要来源，可提供大量高质量、最新且相关的医疗保健信息。其影响不仅限于信息获取，还通过远程医疗和循证医学的广泛应用影响医疗实践。尽管全球互联网使用量显著增加，但非洲在互联网普及率方面滞后，尤其是在利用互联网获取健康信息方面。本研究旨在系统回顾文献，以探讨非洲国家在互联网获取健康信息方面的障碍。
该研究于2023年1月1日至2月28日进行。遵循系统评价和Meta分析的首选报告项目（PRISMA）指南，系统回顾已发表的关于非洲国家利用互联网获取健康信息的研究。在包括谷歌学术、PubMed、Cochrane图书馆、Hinari、CINAHL和全球健康在内的各种数据库中进行了全面搜索。应用纳入标准后，筛选出六项研究作为我们分析的基础。
这项系统评价确定了互联网获取健康信息的11个障碍。这些障碍包括缺乏智能电子设备、互联网使用不频繁、互联网接入有限、电子健康和计算机素养低、互联网连接速度慢、互联网接入成本高、信息搜索技能不足、居住在农村地区、涉及多个领域以及认知度低。
提高我们对在线获取健康信息障碍的理解对政策制定者、政府、学者和医疗保健专业人员至关重要。为了加强互联网在健康信息方面的应用并强化整体卫生系统，政策制定者应优先提高互联网可及性、降低成本、改善连接、提供基本计算机技能培训，并确保所有机构都有电子设备。
