Concept and Strategy for Implementing the National Action Plan on Health Literacy in Germany

Abstract Background In Germany, the development of the National Action Plan on Health Literacy (NAP) was triggered by results of the HLS-GER, the first representative study on HL in Germany, showing that more than half of the German population perceive great problems in processing health information. In response to this, a group of 15 experts from academia, practice and policy worked together on a first draft of the NAP, which was refined based on various stakeholder consultations and finally published in 2018. The plan focuses on four areas of action and initially presents 15 specific recommendations to strengthen health literacy in Germany following five key principles. After the delivery to the Federal Minister of Health in 2018, it quickly became clear that the action plan and its recommendations need additional tools for implementation. Therefore, a systematic implementation strategy was developed. Methods Core elements of the implementation strategy were a systematic dissemination of the plan as well as workshops with important stakeholders from policy, associations, patient and self-help organisations. The aim of the workshops was it to concretise single recommendations of the NAP and to develop additional tools to implement them in specific fields of actions. The workshops led to policy papers, which were consented by a group of stakeholders and again disseminated broadly. Results Through numerous publications and presentations in different contexts the NAP received great attention. Furthermore, seven workshops and one international symposium were conducted focussing on single recommendations of the NAP, each leading to policy papers. The workshops and policy papers contributed to identification with the NAP and motivated the development of tools to promote health literacy. Conclusions The implementation strategy was effective as many stakeholders could be involved. It is also resource and time consuming which needs to be considered in project planning.

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National Action Plan Health Literacy in Germany origin, development and structure

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1007/s10389-021-01616-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Doris Schaeffer ◽

Svea Gille ◽

Dominique Vogt ◽

Klaus Hurrelmann

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Action Plan ◽

Action Plans ◽

National Action Plan ◽

Patient Organizations ◽

Self Help ◽

Low Health Literacy ◽

Key Stakeholders ◽

Core Elements ◽

Individual Consultation

Abstract Aim Health literacy has gained increasing importance worldwide. As a result of several studies indicating low health literacy levels in large parts of the population, strategies and action plans promoting health literacy were developed in many countries. The article analyses the origin, development and structure of the German Health Literacy Action Plan. Subject and methods In 2016, a civil society initiative was formed, aiming at developing a national action plan in an expert-based and collaborative manner. A group of 15 experts elaborated the core elements of the action plan, based on a literature review on existing health literacy approaches, action plans and empirical evidence. These core elements were further developed collaboratively in workshops with key stakeholders, self-help and patient organizations and individual consultation meetings. Afterwards, the National Action Plan was reviewed and previously formulated recommendations were refined before being published. Results and conclusion The National Action Plan Health Literacy in Germany presents 15 recommendations in four areas of action for promoting health literacy in Germany. This bottom-up strategy and the expert-based yet at the same time collaborative approach have proved to be successful when developing a national action plan.

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Using survey data on population health literacy for developing a National Action Plan in Germany

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.235 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

E Berens ◽

D Schaeffer

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Health Information ◽

Survey Data ◽

Healthcare System ◽

Action Plan ◽

Chronically Ill ◽

German Population ◽

National Action Plan ◽

German Health ◽

Literacy Survey

Abstract Promoted by the results of the European Health Literacy survey, the first representative German Health Literacy Survey (HLS-GER) was conducted in 2014. The results showed that every second individual in Germany (54.3 %) has limited health literacy. Thus, a majority of the German population is confronted with difficulties in finding, understanding, appraising, and applying health information. Particularly, vulnerable groups as people with migration background, low education attainment, and in older age as well as chronically ill have even more problems in processing health information and thus are confronted with challenges to maintain health, prevent diseases and use the healthcare system. Based on the initial research findings of the HLS-GER and the increasing attention and discussions arising with its results, the National Action Plan Health Literacy was developed by a group of experts to systematically improve and strengthen health literacy in Germany. After agreements with representatives of politics and society, health professions and patient and citizen organizations it was published in 2018. It includes 15 specific recommendations in four areas of action and focusses on fostering health literacy in daily life, creating a user-friendly and health literate healthcare system, HL and chronic illness and expanding health literacy research. Five underlying key principles are mentioned to consider in implementing the National Action Plan. The HLS-GER survey data were further used to discuss some recommendations within specialized workshops leading to more detailed strategy papers. The current political and practical developments and discussions initiated by National Action Plan, will be picked up in the second German Health Literacy Survey (HLS-GER2), which is part of HLS19. By repeatedly assessing population HL in Germany the implementation of the National Action Plan can be monitored and further specified, thus survey data help to create policy.

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Implementation of the National Action Plan Health Literacy in Germany—Lessons Learned

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17124403 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 4403 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Doris Schaeffer ◽

Svea Gille ◽

Klaus Hurrelmann

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Implementation Strategy ◽

Action Plan ◽

Implementation Strategies ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Dissemination And Implementation ◽

Policy Agenda ◽

Action Plans ◽

National Action Plan ◽

Science And Research

The promotion of health literacy (HL) has become an important task in public health. In response, in many countries, strategies and action plans to strengthen HL have been developed. Systematic discussion of implementation strategies of action plans on HL is scarce. This paper presents the implementation strategy and the methodical process of its realization of the National Action Plan HL in Germany which was published in 2018. The implementation strategy was based on considerations of implementation science and research. A process consisting of a continuum of various overlapping methodical and strategic steps of diffusion, dissemination and implementation based on collaboration and co-production was chosen. According to this, the Action Plan was widely diffused via various channels, disseminated through numerous publications and presentations, and implemented in several settings by holding workshops with stakeholders from politics, science and practice, as well as by cooperating with the Alliance for Health Literacy. This three-part collaborative and co-productive implementation strategy has helped to place HL and the National Action Plan on the health policy agenda in Germany. Experience demonstrates that implementation should be also considered, systematically planned, and addressed when developing strategies to strengthen HL.

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