Health Psychology Webinar
ABSTRACT
Health literacy (HL) relates to knowledge specific to health information and is defined as the ability to access, evaluate, understand and use health information to maintain health and inform health-decision making. It is a multidimensional construct including a range of social and cognitive skills to improve health and wellbeing. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a significant increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs): cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and cancers. In South Africa, deaths due to major NCDs increased by 58,7% over 20 years. To combat the burden of noncommunicable diseases preventative strategies should be implemented and this requires HL skills. Insufficient levels of HL ultimately predict poor adherence, limited health enhancing behaviours and poor self-management. To improve HL, access to quality education and health resources are needed. People can access health information from many different sources, but the internet has become primary resource of health information. All information providers, including government and health services should enable access to trustworthy information in a form that is understandable and applicable for all people. In this regard digital health literacy or eHealth Literacy is paramount. By improving access to quality, credible health information and improving eHL skills, people can be empowered to manage and maintain their health helping to combat the burden of NCDs.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Gain a better understanding of health literacy and digital health literacy.
- Learn about the importance of health literacy and the implications of poor health literacy
- Explore the value of digital health literacy in the context of online health information use.
- Reflect on health literacy within a South African context and initiatives to improve it
Presenter: Dr SN Mostert
Date: 24 September 2025
Time: 13:00
Dr Sonja Mostert
Dr Sonja Mostert is a registered Research Psychologist currently employed as a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria. She is passionate about the field of health psychology and her research is mainly focused on health literacy and improving the mental health of people living with diabetes. She is a member of the Health Psychology Division of PsySSA and teaches several undergraduate and postgraduate modules including health psychology to both undergraduate medical students and previously to honours psychology students. Her primary research areas include topics within health psychology, specifically health literacy; mental health and diabetes; health behaviour change; online health information use and the role of psychological factors in chronic conditions.