The Role of Health Empowerment on Digital Health Technology Literacy by Generation

Objectives: Digital healthcare interventions are widely utilized to facilitate health-promoting behaviors; yet, disparities in digital health technology literacy exist among different generations, potentially exacerbating health inequities. This study examines the mediating effect of health empowerment on the relationship between digital health technology literacy and health-promoting behavior across Generations X, Y, and Z. Methods: A total of 935 individuals from these generations were assessed for health empowerment, digital health technology literacy (measured using the Digital Health Technology Literacy Assessment Questionnaire), and health-promoting behavior (measured using the Korean version of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile). Mediation analysis was conducted using AMOS bootstrapping. Results: Generation Y exhibited higher digital health technology literacy than X (p = .004), while health-promoting behavior was higher in Generation X than Y (p = .009). No statistically significant generational differences were observed in health empowerment. Health empowerment fully mediated the relationship between digital health technology literacy and health-promoting behavior across all generations, with the greatest effect observed in Generation X. Conclusions: The results underscore the vital role of health empowerment in facilitating health-promoting behavior. Tailored digital health interventions are warranted to address subtle variations in digital health technology literacy and health-promoting behavior across generations.