Health Information Use and Trust: The Role of Health Literacy and Patient Activation in a Multilingual European Region

The acquisition of reliable health information plays a pivotal role in shaping informed decision-making and health-related behaviours. This investigation examined the factors influencing health information use and trust in health information sources among the adult population in South Tyrol, Italy, employing a population-based cross-sectional survey ( n = 2090). Descriptive analyses revealed sociodemographic disparities, with younger individuals and those with higher educational attainment demonstrating increased engagement with digital sources, while older adults and those with lower educational levels exhibited a greater reliance on traditional media and healthcare professionals. Correlation analyses showed that elevated health literacy (HLS-EU-Q16) was linked to enhanced engagement with structured and professional health sources, whereas higher patient activation (PAM-10) exhibited a negative correlation with a dependence on healthcare professionals, indicating that more activated individuals are less reliant on medical consultations for health information. Individuals reporting a better health status were less inclined to use health information sources, such as media, healthcare professionals, or the internet, as opposed to relying on personal knowledge or experience. Ordinal regression models further identified age, education, and linguistic background as crucial predictors of health information use and trust in sources. These findings highlight the influence of health literacy and patient activation on information engagement and trust and emphasise the need for tailored public health initiatives to ensure equitable access to reliable health information across diverse demographic groups.