Characteristics of included articles.

Background
The Internet is a crucial source of health information, providing access to vast volumes of high-quality, up-to-date, and relevant healthcare information. Its impact extends beyond information access, influencing medical practice through the widespread adoption of telemedicine and evidence-based medicine. Despite the significant global increase in internet usage, Africa lags in internet penetration, particularly in utilizing the internet for health information. This study aims to systematically review the literature to explore barriers to accessing health information on the Internet in African countries.
Methods
The study was conducted from January 1 to February 28, 2023. It followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline to systematically review published studies investigating the utilization of the Internet for health information in African countries. A comprehensive search was conducted across various databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Hinari, CINAHL, and Global Health. The inclusion criteria were applied, resulting in the selection of six studies that formed the basis for our analysis.
Result
This systematic review identifies eleven barriers to accessing health information on the internet. These include a lack of ownership of smart electronic devices, infrequent internet use, limited internet access, low E-health and computer literacy, slow internet connection, high cost of internet access, insufficient information search skills, residing in rural areas, dealing with diverse fields, and having low perceptions.
Conclusion
Improving our understanding of barriers to accessing health information online is essential for policymakers, governments, academics, and healthcare professionals. To enhance the use of the Internet for health information and strengthen the overall health system, policymakers should prioritize increasing Internet accessibility, reducing costs, improving connections, offering basic computer skills training, and ensuring the availability of electronic devices in all institutions.

# 研究背景
互联网是健康信息的重要来源，可为用户获取海量高质量、时效性强且贴合需求的医疗保健信息提供渠道。其影响不仅局限于信息获取层面，更通过远程医疗（telemedicine）与循证医学（evidence-based medicine）的广泛应用，对医疗实践产生深远影响。尽管全球互联网使用量显著增长，但非洲地区的互联网普及率仍相对滞后，尤其在利用互联网获取健康信息方面表现欠佳。本研究旨在通过系统综述相关文献，探究非洲国家民众通过互联网获取健康信息的阻碍因素。

# 研究方法
本研究于2023年1月1日至2月28日开展，遵循系统综述与荟萃分析优先报告条目（Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, PRISMA）指南，对已发表的、针对非洲国家互联网健康信息利用情况的研究进行系统综述。研究团队在谷歌学术（Google Scholar）、PubMed、考克兰图书馆（Cochrane Library）、Hinari、护理与联合卫生文献累积索引（CINAHL）以及全球健康（Global Health）等多个数据库中开展了全面检索，应用纳入标准后最终筛选出6项研究作为本次分析的基础。

# 研究结果
本系统综述共识别出11项非洲国家民众通过互联网获取健康信息的阻碍因素，具体包括：智能电子设备持有率不足、互联网使用频率偏低、互联网接入渠道受限、电子健康与计算机素养水平较低、网络连接速度缓慢、互联网接入成本高昂、信息检索技能匮乏、居住于农村地区、需应对多样化的健康信息领域，以及认知水平偏低。

# 研究结论
加深对在线健康信息获取阻碍因素的认知，对于政策制定者、政府、学术界及医疗从业者均具有重要意义。为提升互联网在健康信息获取领域的应用效能、强化整体医疗体系建设，政策制定者应优先推进以下工作：提升互联网普及率、降低接入成本、优化网络连接质量、开展基础计算机技能培训，并保障所有医疗机构配备电子设备。