Global survey of 30 nations reveals higher digital health literacy in low and middle income countries

CUNY study of 30 countries finds that digital health literacy and AI acceptance are higher in low-income countries than in wealthy nations.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 7:38 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

Challenging the Wealth-Literacy Paradigm

A comprehensive cross-national survey has upended long-standing beliefs regarding the relationship between a nation’s economy and the digital skills of its citizens. The study, led by the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, found that digital health literacy is actually highest in low- and middle-income countries. This suggests that the necessity of navigating digital landscapes for essential services has fostered a more critical and adept user base in these regions. Lead author Rachael Piltch-Loeb noted that digital skill is not a function of national wealth, observing that some of the most sophisticated health information navigation occurs in areas where social media has long served as a primary information artery.

Diverse Levels of Trust in Medical Sources

The survey highlights that while medical providers remain the most endorsed source for credible health information globally at 40.7%, trust levels vary dramatically by region. In Russia, for instance, trust in providers plummeted to just 14.6%, far below the global average. Following direct medical advice, the most common method for verifying health claims was through cross-referencing multiple sources, a tactic used by 31.2% of the 31,000 respondents. Interestingly, government sources and personal networks like family or friends were rated significantly lower as primary hubs for credible data, suggesting that global audiences are increasingly favoring professional expertise or self-directed verification.

The Great AI Acceptance Divide

Acceptance of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector showed a sharp geographic and demographic split. Globally, 58.3% of participants expressed a likelihood to accept AI-generated health content, but this figure surged above 75% in rapidly developing nations like India, China, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Conversely, skepticism remains high in many high-income Western and East Asian nations, with acceptance falling below 50% in the UK, France, Japan, and Canada. The data further revealed that receptivity to AI is strongly tied to age and education, with younger adults and those with post-secondary degrees being far more open to machine-mediated health advice than older generations.