Digital Health Literacy for All: addressing digital health literacy challenges in the Latino community with diabetes in The Bronx

Diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in New York City, affects nearly one million residents and disproportionately impacts Latino communities, where prevalence reaches 17% compared to 10% in non-Latino populations. The Bronx, home to NYC’s largest Latino population, exhibits one of the city’s highest diabetes rates (13.6%), further complicated by widespread Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and low digital health literacy. These barriers hinder access to critical health information and care—especially in the context of a healthcare system increasingly reliant on digital platforms. This study evaluates the accessibility and quality of Spanish-language diabetes information on the websites of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the Bronx. Using the digital.gov guidelines for language accessibility, the Brief DISCERN questionnaire for credibility, and the Flesch-Kincaid readability tool adapted for Spanish, 13 FQHC websites were assessed. Results show that nearly half the sites scored above the 11th-grade reading level, while only 13% were within the recommended 6th–8th-grade range. Moreover, 27% of sites scored poorly on credibility, and several lacked Spanish-language options or were not operational. These findings reveal significant gaps in the digital health landscape, with inadequate Spanish-language diabetes content contributing to digital health inequities for LEP Latino populations in the Bronx. To support effective diabetes management and meet NYC’s goal of reducing diabetes prevalence by 5% by 2030, FQHCs must improve digital accessibility, ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate content, and engage LEP communities in usability testing and education initiatives. Study has limitations as it is a single evaluator.