Re-prioritizing Digital Health and Health Literacy in Healthy People 2030 to Affect Health Equity

The U.S. Healthy People 2030 health objective-setting process has taken place in an inequitable social structure with significant implications for health literacy, health equity, and population health. The draft 2030 objectives have greatly reduced the number of digital health and health literacy objectives, meaning our national agenda is poised to capture only a fraction of what will evolve in digital and health literacy between 2020 and 2030. This paper synthesizes two decades of Healthy People data on health literacy and digital health objectives, highlights the digital health and health literacy trends and disparities that persist and proposes remedies to ensure that health literacy and digital health issues receive the attention they deserve in the next decade. These remedies can inform policies, research, and interventions that touch health communication and digital health issues.

Automated summary

The U.S. Healthy People 2030 health objective-setting process has been conducted in an inequitable social structure, impacting health literacy, health equity, and population health. The draft objectives for 2030 have significantly reduced digital health and health literacy objectives, indicating a need for more attention and resources in these areas in the upcoming decade. This paper synthesizes two decades of data on health literacy and digital health objectives, highlighting trends and disparities, and proposes remedies to ensure these issues receive adequate attention and action in the future.