Highlights: ? Online informational needs of patients i.c. navigation and content should be met in a personalized way to avoid attrition and to encourage adherence. ? eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) does not seem to cover all aspects of digital skills. ? Patient perspective is indispensable for usability research in consumer health informatics. ? Mixed social scientific techniques deliver useful results regarding usability improvement and information seeking behavior.Abstract: Background: To improve the information position of health care consumers and to facilitate decision-making behavior in health the Dutch ministry of Health commissioned the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment to develop, host and manage a public national health and care portal (www.kiesbete….