Digital Health Tactics for Better Health Literacy: 11 Expert Approaches

While I worked as a research associate for a research on prevalence of atherosclerosis in young adults, also known as PAK-Sehat, we used digital tools to turn imaging into understanding. After CT angiograms/CIMT, each participant received a one-page, plain language summary on their phone with a color-coded risk graphic, a video on what lipid profile and cholesterol are, and a tappable checklist for diet, activity, and follow-up labs. We scheduled text reminders for lipid testing and clinic reviews, and invited questions by voice note so even low-literacy participants could engage. That simple, visual, mobile-first approach noticeably boosted awareness and follow-through on lifestyle changes and statin discussions.

What worked best wasn’t the gadget, it was the layered model: simple devices + local-language micro-content + teach-back + a predictable human touchpoint. Keep actions bite-sized, make the next step obvious, and close the loop every week. That’s how digital health becomes health literacy, not just another app on a phone.

I am continuously using digital health to promote awareness and encourage screening for urological conditions. Continually, I try to educate patients to take care of their health. Using ongoing social media campaigns, webinars (answering patients’ questions and giving directions), and motivating people through blogs and articles has shown me that I am improving health literacy.

One of the most effective strategies we’ve used is fostering online community among our patients. The fact that all of them are at a similar stage in life and dealing with similar conditions means that they can function as a great support group and sounding board for different potential remedies. Menopause is also a condition that has a lot of unnecessary shame attached to it, and this helps to cut through that.

The digital health literacy project that has made the biggest impact is our “Mental Health Myth-Busting” social media campaign, which works to counteract the harmful information teens are exposed to on apps like TikTok and Instagram. When I witnessed adolescent clients walk through our clinic door with highly incorrect facts about mental health disorders that they’d garnered on the Internet, I knew that we needed to start meeting families where they were already receiving health information — on their phones.

We created a fleet of 60-second educational videos with licensed therapists showing how to cope, explaining the warning signs of serious mental health conditions, and busting common destructive mental health myths. The approach that worked best was using the same format as the viral mental health content except that it presented clinically correct information from licensed professionals.

One video about the difference between sadness and depression racked up more than 40,000 views and led to many calls from parents who said they learned when their teen was in need of help — and when they were simply sad, “as teenagers are.” School counselors from several districts also shared a video demonstrating proper grounding techniques when having a panic attack.

A great win was launching a digital resource center that is shared on all of our social media content so our families have access to information on verified mental health resources and local treatment places (by city and state, as well as emergency numbers). The content was broken into groups by age and category of symptoms to make it easy for people to find information from a reliable source.

We tracked our success through web statistics, social media activity, but most importantly, through new client inquiries that cited our connected content as inspiring their interest. 30% of our intake calls within the first six months after we set up our online health literacy reported that they learned about us because they googled us and wanted help with their child’s health situation. Parents were asking more educated questions, teens were coming to treatment better prepared, and families were coming into a new experience (family therapy) with grounded expectations.

I partnered with a local community center to launch a series of interactive digital kiosks focused on basic health literacy. Each kiosk featured short videos on nutrition, exercise, and managing chronic conditions, paired with simple quizzes to reinforce learning. I tracked engagement metrics over three months and noticed people spent more time on topics they could interact with directly, like meal planning simulations. The most effective approach combined clear visuals with real-time feedback, allowing participants to immediately see the impact of their choices. This hands-on, technology-driven method sparked conversations in community workshops and even led some participants to schedule check-ins with local clinics. I learned that digital health works best when it’s interactive and locally contextualized, bridging the gap between awareness and action.

I’ve used digital health tools extensively in my work as a trauma-informed parenting coach, and one of the most powerful things I’ve done is build free, accessible online workshops that break down complex mental health concepts into real, relatable language for parents. I found that a lot of parents in my community didn’t necessarily struggle with access to information—they struggled with *understanding* and *trusting* it. So I knew I had to meet them where they were.

I created short videos and digital guides that explained things like emotional regulation, attachment theory, and trauma responses—not with clinical jargon, but through real stories, everyday examples, and visuals. I also hosted live Q&As through Instagram and Zoom where parents could ask vulnerable questions anonymously. That helped reduce stigma *so much.*

The most effective approach for me was combining storytelling with science—when people *feel* understood, they’re more open to learning. That’s what actually builds literacy and confidence.

Please let me know if you’ll be featuring my submission—I’d love to read the final article. Thanks so much again for the opportunity.

Digital education on social media and telehealth platforms is one of the most effective ways I’ve raised health literacy in my community. I introduced brief video explainers on subjects like wound care, skin health, and recovery expectations following surgery during the pandemic, when in-person visits were scarce.

Meeting patients online, where they were already, was crucial. I was able to simplify complicated medical information into actionable steps for people to follow by using interactive Q&A sessions, clear pictures, and simple language. For instance, a straightforward video series on identifying the symptoms of a post-surgical infection helped cut down on needless ER visits and motivated patients to seek prompt follow-up care.

Digital health tools foster trust in addition to making education more accessible.