This paper by the European Public Health Alliance explores how the EU’s Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP) 2021-2027 can address the growing digital divide, particularly in the health sector. As the EU advances toward its Digital Decade goals, with plans to fully digitalise key public services and equip 80% of the population with basic digital skills by 2030, a critical gap remains—many vulnerable populations lack the skills needed to navigate digital health tools, such as eHealth services and electronic health records. The paper underscores the urgency of developing digital health literacy to prevent these disparities from widening further, especially for marginalized groups like older adults, migrants, and low-income individuals.
Despite ambitious targets, the current approach leaves significant challenges unaddressed. The DEAP’s actions on digital health literacy, while promising, fail to provide a clear roadmap for ensuring that underserved populations can benefit from digital healthcare systems. The paper highlights the need for a more comprehensive and inclusive digital education strategy, emphasising that digital health literacy is more than just basic digital skills—it requires critical thinking, the ability to evaluate the trustworthiness of online health information, and the skills to protect against health disinformation. By aligning education policies with health equity goals, the EU has the potential to ensure that all citizens can fully participate in and benefit from the digital health revolution.