Peer-reviewed article
Digital health information and female adolescents with turkish migration background
Islertas Z, Bittlingmayer U ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explored how female adolescents with Turkish migration background in Germany access and use digital health information. The researchers conducted interviews and focus groups with these young women to understand their digital health literacy and information-seeking behaviours. The findings show that while these adolescents have technical access to digital platforms, they prefer clear, German-language health information and often consult trusted women in their social networks alongside online sources.
Key points
- Female adolescents with Turkish migration background have technical access to digital health information and actively use new media to find health information
- Clear, comprehensible German-language webpages are preferred over other formats
- Young women consult trusted female members of their social network in parallel with digital platforms when seeking health advice
- Digital health information and knowledge from personal networks are both valued as health-related resources
- Low-threshold German-language digital health content represents an opportunity to reach this vulnerable population
Limitations
The study focuses only on female adolescents with Turkish migration background in Germany, so findings may not apply to other migrant groups or countries. The research explores access and preferences but does not evaluate whether digital health information actually improves health outcomes or decision-making.
Abstract
Abstract Background Youth with Turkish migration background (TRMB) are repeatedly classified as a vulnerable group. Digital health information, which is prepared and made available by various providers in a variety of ways, may represent an opportunity to promote the health of these adolescents. Empirical findings on wheter young people have access to digital health information and what role digital health information plays in their everyday lives are hard to find. Methods In the project ELMi, a project of the HLCA Consortium, funded by the BMBF, female adolescents with TRMB were interviewed. Individual interviews as well as a focus group discussion were conducted and evaluated according to the Qualitative Content Analysis. Results Female adolescents with TRMB have technical access to digital health information. They use New Media to obtain health information. When searching for digital health information, it is important for the adolescents to be able to find factual and comprehensibly formulated information quickly. German-language homepages are preferred by them. Parallel to the digital platform they regard female persons from their own social network as contact persons for health questions. They draw on their health-related knowledge and experience in order to be able to obtain answers to their own questions. Conclusions Digital health information and the health-related knowledge and experience of the female social network are considered as a health related resource. German-language electronic information with low-threshold content can represent an opportunity to reach female adolescents with TRMB Key messages • Female adolescents with TRMB demonstrate technical and content access to digital health information. • Digital health information represents an opportunity to reach the target group.