Neurological disease creates dependence on self-care, requiring changes in the individual’s lifestyle. The acquisition of skills (knowledge) for an effective self-management of the disease is essential, and it involves the family/informal caregivers and healthcare professionals. For training, digital communication has shown positive ground.  

The Department of Neurology A at the Coimbra University Hospital developed the “Neuroteca Digital”, a digital repository of information about risk factors for neurological disease and strategies for self-care, including videos, e-books, manuals, and photos.

The goal is to promote health literacy (access, understanding and use of information) for patients, informal caregivers, and healthcare professionals in the Neurology field, through using digital communication resources.

At the start of the project, brainstorming sessions were held with the multidisciplinary team to search for content (from credible sources). The content of the “Neuroteca Digital'' aims to improve health literacy through 1) clear, easily accessible content; 2) good understanding of the content and 3) proper use. Healthcare professionals were trained on the project, emphasizing the importance of assertiveness, clarity, and positivity of the information (ACP Model).

The digital resources used to spread the information - tablet or computer - allowed a wide and targeted use with the patient, the informal caregiver and health professionals.

The implementation of the project (in the fourth quarter of 2019) showed a high acceptance from users, which was confirmed by the healthcare team, through observation and direct dialogue among professionals, and through the comments of patients and their families, which increased after April 2020. Healthcare professionals showed satisfaction by using this resource due to 1) easy access; 2) multiple information, adequate to the needs of the neurological patient; 3) informative support, which clarifies and standardizes the message.

Patients and informal caregivers equally reported satisfaction owing to 1) the diversity and clarity of the content; 2) adequacy to their needs, verbalizing: “that video help me understanding the harm of tobacco…”, “I understand now what you meant earlier”.

The “Neuroteca Digital” has proved to be extremely useful in promoting health literacy, and it is expected to be inserted on a website to promote wider dissemination.