Health literacy and associated factors in patients with chronic diseases, Brazil

Abstract Chronic diseases of the population have been a global challenge for public health. Considered a new field of study, health literacy (LS) is the ability to obtain and understand basic health information and services needed to make health decisions. Worse outcomes, such as less control of chronic diseases, have been associated with LS. Thus, the objective of the study was to investigate the association of LS, clinical and behavioral conditions in patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) users of the public health service in Brazil. It was a cross-sectional study, conducted from July to December 2019, with 238 adult users of the public health service, in a random sample, from 10 basic health units, in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil. A questionnaire was applied to obtain socioeconomic, behavioral, and LS data (Suka et al, 2013). The outcome was LS (high, medium and low) and the independent variables: CNCDs (diabetes, systemic blood pressure), clinical conditions (pressure, tooth loss, pain, visible plaque and insertion loss), behaviors (brushing, use of dental floss), determinants (type and frequency of service use) and self-perception (oral health and quality of life) in health. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and the Chi-Square test, based on a conceptual model adapted for LS (5% significance level). They had low levels of literacy 35.3% (n = 84), average 35.7% (n = 85), and high 29.0% (n = 69). Low LS levels were associated with older individuals, low education, less brushing and flossing, irregular use of dental services, edentulism, pain, loss of insertion, negative self-perception of oral health and quality of life, and better systolic blood pressure index. The results of this study show the association of LS with behavioral and clinical factors, showing an important role in the health-disease process in this population. LS should be considered in health promotion policies in future studies. Key messages Our study shows the importance of health literacy, and its association with health outcomes in individuals with chronic non-communicable diseases. Within the important global epidemiological panorama of chronic diseases, better understanding the role of LS is important, and it can collaborate with health promotion strategies for this population.

Download Full-text

Application of the Ottawa Charter Five Priority Areas of Action for Public Health to an Institution-Wide Diabetes Care Promotion

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041543 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1543

Author(s):

Min-Hua Lin ◽

She-Yu Chiu ◽

Wen-Chao Ho ◽

Hui-Ying Huang

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Diabetes Care ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Health Promotion Program ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Diabetes Patients

This study was the first institution-wide health promotion program in Taiwan to apply the five priority areas for taking action in public health highlighted in the Ottawa Charter for diabetes patients. We aimed to improve the quality of home care received by diabetic patients by training health care professionals in health promotion. This program consisted of developing personal skills, reorienting health services, strengthening community actions, creating supportive environments, and building healthy public policy. It was applied in the Yunlin Christian Hospital located in central Taiwan from August 2011 to November 2011. A health-promoting education course consisting of weight control, diabetes care, and quality management for diabetes was developed and applied to all 323 hospital staff. Then, hospital staff volunteers and diabetes patients were recruited to participate in the program. A total of 61 staff volunteers and 90 diabetes patients were involved in this study. Staff volunteers were trained to participate in communities to provide care and guidance to patients with diabetes. The World Health Organization Quality of Life(WHOQOL)-BREF-Taiwan Version questionnaires were investigated before and after implementation of this program for the patients. A health-promoting lifestyle profile questionnaire was filled by the staff. The investigation data were then analyzed by statistical methods. The diabetes patients experienced a significant increase in their satisfaction with health and health-related quality of life as well as significant improvements in health-promotion and self-management behaviors (p < 0.05). In addition, staff volunteers significantly consumes food from the five major groups than the other staff (p < 0.05). Various improvements in health-promoting behaviors were observed amongst the hospital staff and the diabetic patients. Our project could be a reference for other medical organizations to implement an institution-wide health-promotion program for diabetic patients.

Download Full-text

The Reality of Accessibility in the Public Health Systems

Handbook of Research on ICTs and Management Systems for Improving Efficiency in Healthcare and Social Care ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-3990-4.ch036 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 691-719

Author(s):

Guillermo López Cala ◽

Yolanda María de la Fuente Robles ◽

Rosa María Fernández Alcalá

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Empirical Study ◽

Health Centers ◽

The Public ◽

Basic Health ◽

Important Concept ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Information And Communication

This chapter deals with accessibility, a relevant and important concept for every citizen in the improvement of their quality of life in any environment or daily situation. Specifically, an empirical study about accessibility in the public health centers of a Basic Health Area (BHA) of Jaén is carried out. From this study, accessibility deficiencies in health buildings are revealed, and explicit proposals are provided with the aim of improving accessibility in different scopes such as information and communications. The improvement plans based on the use of Technology, Information, and Communication (TIC) tools help sensory disabled users that attend to the Health Center.

Download Full-text

Factors associated with the inclusion of oral health technicians into the public health service in Brazil

Human Resources for Health ◽

10.1186/s12960-019-0371-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ana Cláudia Pereira dos Santos Cruz ◽

Simone Dutra Lucas ◽

Lívia Guimarães Zina ◽

Rafaela da Silveira Pinto ◽

Maria Inês Barreiros Senna

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Oral Health ◽

Health Service ◽

Public Health Service ◽

The Public ◽

Factors Associated

Download Full-text

Effects of oral health promotion programmes on adolescents’ oral health‐related quality of life: A systematic review

International Journal of Dental Hygiene ◽

10.1111/idh.12440 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 228-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aretuza Pires dos Santos Lattanzi ◽

Flávia Maia Silveira ◽

Ludmila Guimarães ◽

Lívia Azeredo Alves Antunes ◽

Leonardos Santos Antunes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Oral Health Promotion ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Download Full-text

Pain neuroscience education and physical exercise for patients with chronic spinal pain in primary healthcare: a randomised trial protocol

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-019-2889-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Miguel A. Galán-Martín ◽

Federico Montero-Cuadrado ◽

Enrique Lluch-Girbes ◽

M. Carmen Coca-López ◽

Agustín Mayo-Iscar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Primary Care ◽

Chronic Pain ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Public Health System ◽

The Public ◽

Neuroscience Education

Abstract Background Chronic musculoskeletal pain affects more than 20% of the population, and the prevalence is increasing, causing suffering, loss of quality of life, disability, and an enormous expenditure on healthcare resources. The most common location for chronic pain is the spine. Many of the treatments used are mainly passive (pharmacological and invasive) and poor outcomes. The treatments currently applied in the public health system do not comply with the recommendations of the main clinical practice guidelines, which suggest the use of educational measures and physical exercise as the first-line treatment. A protocol based on active coping strategies is described, which will be evaluated through a clinical trial and which could facilitate the transfer of the recommendations of the clinical practice guidelines to a primary care setting. Methods Randomised and multicentre clinical trials, which will be carried out in 10 Primary Care centres. The trial will compare the effect of a Pain Neuroscience Education program (six sessions, 10 h) and group physical exercise (18 sessions program carried out in six weeks, 18 h), with usual care physiotherapy treatment. Group physical exercise incorporates dual tasks, gaming, and reinforcement of contents of the educational program. The aim is to assess the effect of the intervention on quality of life, as well as on pain, disability, catastrophism, kinesiophobia, central sensitisation, and drug use. The outcome variables will be measured at the beginning of the intervention, after the intervention (week 11), at six months, and a year. Discussion Therapeutic interventions based on active coping strategies are essential for the treatment of chronic pain and the sustainability of the Public Health System. Demonstrating whether group interventions have an effect size is essential for optimising resources in such a prevalent problem. Trial registration NCT03654235 “Retrospectively registered” 31 August 2018.

Download Full-text

Saúde do idoso, o envelhecimento e as políticas públicas de saúde

Revista Recien - Revista Científica de Enfermagem ◽

10.24276/rrecien2177-157x.2010.1.1.37-40 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 37

Author(s):

Thaís Mello de Souza ◽

Luiz Faustino dos Santos Maia

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Population Aging ◽

The Elderly ◽

The Public ◽

Calidad De Vida ◽

The Sixties ◽

Public Politics

Desde os anos sessenta do século passado, a expressão qualidade de vida tem sido referência de inúmeros discursos acadêmicos, políticos, ideológicos. A preocupação com a saúde do idoso vem promovendo a implantação de políticas públicas de saúde, visando cada vez mais melhoria da qualidade de vida. O envelhecimento populacional é um fenômeno que diz respeito a todos, não ficando circunscrito apenas aos cidadãos maiores de 60 anos. Portanto esta pesquisa através de uma revisão literária objetivou levar ao conhecimento dos profissionais de saúde a cerca da saúde do idoso e as políticas públicas de saúde para este segmento etário. Os resultados mostrou que os profissionais de saúde têm uma grande importância para a melhoria, implementação e execução das políticas públicas de saúde.Descritores: Qualidade de Vida, Saúde do Idoso, Envelhecimento. Health of the aged one, the aging and the public politics of healthAbstractSince the sixties of last century, the term quality of life has been a benchmark for many academic discourses, political, ideological. The concern with the health of the aged one comes promoting the implantation of public politics of health, aiming at each time more improvement of the quality of life. The population aging is a phenomenon that says respect to all, not being circumscribed only to the citizens biggest of 60 years. Therefore this research through a literature review aimed to inform health professionals about the health of the elderly and public health policies for this age group. The results showed that health professionals are of great importance for the improvement, implementation and enforcement of public health policies.OuvirDescriptors:Quality of Life, Health of the Aged one, Aging. Salud Del anciano, el envejecimiento y las politicas publica de saludResumenDesde los años sesenta del siglo pasado, el término calidad de vida ha sido un referente para muchos discursos académicos, políticos, ideológicos. La preocupación por la salud de las personas de edad ha estado promoviendo el despliegue de políticas de salud pública, en busca de mayor calidad y mejores de vida mejor. El envejecimiento poblacional es un fenómeno que concierne a todos, no limitándose sólo a los ciudadanos mayores de 60 años. Por tanto, esta investigación a través de una revisión de la literatura destinada a informar a los profesionales de salud acerca de la salud de las personas mayores y las politicas publicas de salud para este grupo de edad. Los resultados mostraron que los profesionales de la salud son de gran importancia para el mejoramiento, aplicación y ejecución de políticas de salud pública.Descriptores: Calidad de Vida, Salud del Adulto Mayor, Envejecimiento.

Download Full-text

Oral health literacy, self‐rated oral health, and oral health‐related quality of life in Brazilian adults

European Journal Of Oral Sciences ◽

10.1111/eos.12695 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 128 (3) ◽

pp. 218-225

Author(s):

Fernanda Maria Rovai Bado ◽

Maria Helena Ribeiro De Checchi ◽

Karine Laura Cortellazzi ◽

Xiangqun Ju ◽

Lisa Jamieson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Oral Health ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Oral Health Literacy ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Download Full-text

Discourses in Interaction: The intersection of literacy and health research internationally

Literacy and Numeracy Studies ◽

10.5130/lns.v15i2.2205 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 19-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Julie Green ◽

Joseph Lo Bianco ◽

Johanna Wyn

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Adult Literacy ◽

Policy Research ◽

Social Resources ◽

International Policy ◽

Life Long Learning ◽

Education And Health

Literacy and health are deeply influential in social participation, utilisation of social resources and quality of life. This paper discusses interacting discourses and common conceptual points shared by the adult literacy and public health fields and situates how the sub-field at the intersection of these two domains, known as ‘health literacy’, is constructed and enacted. Emerging approaches that recognise the convergence of education and health within international policy, research and in practice are articulated. The paper argues a case for re-thinking the literacy-health connection from a cross-sectoral perspective and for more effective approaches furthering the interests of both life-long learning and wellbeing.

Download Full-text