Breaking the Data Barrier

Teaching Health Informatics and Big Data Literacy to Health Sciences Students

Abstract

The rapid digitalization of healthcare has increased the need for graduates who can understand, interpret, and responsibly use health-related data. However, students entering health and technology-related programs may encounter barriers when learning health informatics and big data, particularly when technical concepts must be connected with clinical and professional contexts. This qualitative study explored students' experiences of learning health informatics and big data literacy through an interdisciplinary learning approach at Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Palembang. The study involved 30 undergraduate students, consisting of 20 Information Technology students and 10 Nursing students, and was conducted from 12 March to 1 April 2026. Data were collected through classroom observations, students' reflective responses, semi-structured interviews, and learning artifacts, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed five interconnected themes: encountering the data barrier, moving from technical complexity toward meaningful understanding, learning through disciplinary complementarity, connecting healthcare data with professional practice, and developing confidence and responsible data awareness. The findings indicate that students' difficulties were not limited to technical skills but also involved unfamiliar terminology, contextual interpretation, disciplinary differences, and uncertainty about the responsible use of health information. Interdisciplinary learning provided opportunities for Information Technology and Nursing students to exchange complementary perspectives, connecting technological knowledge with clinical meaning. The study concludes that health data literacy should be understood as a multidimensional competency involving data understanding, interpretation, contextualization, communication, and ethical use. Interdisciplinary health informatics education can therefore serve as a meaningful pedagogical pathway for preparing future professionals to participate in increasingly data-driven healthcare environments.