The HEAL proposal intended to fulfil overall goals of (1) the reduction of the digital health literacy gap that can lead to social exclusion; (2) the increase of digital health literacy skills for potential vulnerable European citizens; (3) the increase of awareness of the importance of e-health literacy that can lead to better social and health care; and (4) an awareness regarding data protection and media literacy when it comes to e-health devices and services.
For some, online research on health topics, fitness apps and smartwatches have long been part of everyday life. For many others, however, digital health applications and services are unknown worlds. According to Eurostat, 52 per cent of EU citizens searched for health information online in 2021, but more specific applications such as online appointments or digital patient records are less common. As early as 2012, the European Commission identified a lack of knowledge, trust and digital skills as major barriers to the use of digital health applications and services. According to the Flash Eurobarometer 460, this trust is increasingly important, as eHealth has the potential to empower citizens to (1) better manage their health, (2) improve prevention efforts, (3) enable more accurate diagnosis and treatment, as well as (4) facilitate the communication between healthcare professionals and patients. However, in 2017, when the last survey was conducted, less than one in five respondents used health and care services provided online (18%). But, 52% of all respondents would like to have online access to their medical and health records.