Digital health literacy, sociodemographic factors, and clinical decision-making perceptions in preventing medical errors among physical therapy students in a Philippine health sciences institution

Abstract

One of the pillars of a competent physical therapy (PT) practice is sound clinical decision-making (CDM), as it may influence patient safety by preventing medical errors. With the advent of digitalization in health information and PT practice, digital health literacy (DHL) has become a critical competency in the field of PT in the 21st century. Despite its emergence, limited evidence shows the relationship between DHL and CDM perceptions among PT practitioners, both professionals and students, in the Philippine setting. This study employed a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design involving 198 third and fourth-year PT students from a local health institution. The data collection was through a self-administered questionnaire that was composed of three sections: demographic profiling, the eHealth Literacy Scale, and the researcher-made Clinical Decision-Making Perception (CDMPT) for PT students based on the Health Belief Model. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the underlying structure of the CDMPT Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression were the statistical treatments utilized to determine data, predictors, and the relationship of DHL levels, the sociodemographic factors, and the domains of CDM. For DHL, student participants demonstrated a high level of proficiency (M =4.41, SD = 0.50) in accessing, appraising, and applying online health information in their practice. In these three components of the literacy framework, confidence in appraising health information was marked the lowest. CDM perception levels were also high across the domains (M = 4.68, SD = 0.41). However, self-efficacy showed a comparatively lower score (M = 4.17), indicating reduced confidence in clinical application among the participants. DHL was a significant predictor (β =.34, β = .27, β = .37, β = .21) in most CDM domains with emphasis on perceived susceptibility, benefits, self-efficacy, and cues to action, indicating that participants who had high scores in DHL are more likely to have high CDM scores. Sociodemographic variables, on the other hand, showed limited predictive influence aside from gender (β = -.21) and year level (β =.22), which were significantly associated with self-efficacy (greater confidence). DHL plays a significant role in honing and shaping the decision-making capabilities of the PT students. As the torchbearers of future PT practice, strengthening competency and literacy in digital health must be targeted through educational enrichments to spotlight the importance of digitalization in the evolving and progressing practice of PT.