Language as a social barrier:

A systematic review of the relationship between health literacy, nursing and mobile health applications.

Abstract

This study conducts a systematic literature review to analyze how mobile technologies and health literacy act as social barriers in the context of public health. In a scenario where mobile health applications are gaining increasing relevance, it is crucial to understand how these tools impact different social groups and how the language used can create obstacles to equitable access to health information. The research was conducted on the Web of Science platform, exploring the interaction between health literacy, mobile health applications, and nursing.The results highlight the complexity of health literacy constraints faced by users of mobile technologies, revealing that these limitations are not merely technical but are also deeply rooted in sociodemographic inequalities. The study evaluates the impact of sociodemographic variables on the accessibility and effectiveness of mobile health applications, uncovering significant disparities among different social groups.The analysis concludes that adopting a sociological perspective is essential to understanding and addressing health literacy challenges in mobile applications. This approach can help develop strategies to promote more equitable access to health technologies, ensuring that innovations benefit all segments of society, especially those in vulnerable situations. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the critical role of nursing in ensuring that access to technological innovations is fair and inclusive.