Digital Health Literacy Profiles: A Cluster Analysis of Digital Health Application Users

The digital transformation of healthcare systems increasingly depends on the successful adoption and use of digital health technologies (DHTs) by healthcare users. In this context, digital health literacy (DHL) has emerged as a key factor influencing the effective use of digital health applications. Despite growing interest in DHL, limited research has focused on identifying distinct user profiles in the context of digital health applications. This study aims to identify DHL profiles among users of digital health applications in the Slovenian healthcare system. Data were collected from 247 respondents using the eHealth Literacy and Use Scale (eHLUS), which captures three dimensions: Autonomous Use and Technical Access, Digital Health Engagement, and DHL. Hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward’s method, Euclidean distance) was applied to identify user groups. The analysis revealed four distinct DHL profiles: Digitally Empowered Users, Digitally Vulnerable Users, Passive Digital Users, and Motivated Developing Users. The findings indicate substantial heterogeneity among users in their use of digital health applications across the dimensions of DHL. This study represents one of the first applications of the eHLUS instrument outside its original context and contributes to a better understanding of user diversity within digital healthcare systems. The findings offer a foundation for the development of targeted educational interventions, the reduction in digital inequalities, and the design of user-centered digital health applications that support the ongoing digital transformation of healthcare systems.