Collaborative updating of an organizational health literacy tool confirms medical librarians’ leadership roles

To date, studies on individual and organizational health literacy (OHL) in facilities for people with disabilities are scarce. Thus, the aims of this study are (1) to adapt an existing instrument for measuring organizational health literacy (OHL), namely, the “Health literate health care organization scale” (HLHO-10), to the context of facilities for people with disabilities, (2) to quantitatively examine characteristics of OHL, and (3) to qualitatively assess the definition and role of OHL by interviewing managers and skilled staff. An online study in Germany with N = 130 managers and skilled staff in facilities for people with disabilities was conducted, using the adapted HLHO-10 questionnaire. Univariate analyses were applied. Qualitative content analysis was used to investigate interview data from N = 8 managers and skilled staff from N = 8 facilities for people with disabilities in Hesse, Germany. Quantitative results revealed that respondents reported a below-average level in HLHO-10, with the lowest level found in the attribute of participative development of health information. The qualitative findings showed a clear need for improved navigation to and in facilities. The quantitative and qualitative findings are mainly consistent. Future research and measures should focus on facilities for people with disabilities in order to strengthen the development of and access to target-group-specific health information, as well as to establish a health-literate working and living environment.

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A Participatory Photonovel as a Linguistic Tool for Educating ESL-Speaking Immigrant Women About Health Information

TESL Canada Journal ◽

10.18806/tesl.v27i2.1050 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 89 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laura Nimmon

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Status ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Information ◽

Culturally Relevant ◽

Immigrant Women ◽

Barriers To Health Care ◽

Informational Barriers ◽

Barriers To Health ◽

Literacy Tool

Issues such as the linguistic and informational barriers to health care must be addressed if immigrant women are to achieve optimum health status for themselves and their families. This study used a participatory photonovel as a tool to educate ESL-speaking immigrant women about health information. This research illustrates five ESL-speaking immigrant women’s responses to the use of a participatory photonovel as a health literacy tool. The findings reveal the women’s perspectives on the use of culturally relevant visuals and simplified English in the photonovel as being conducive to their understanding of health information.

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Enhancing organizational health literacy in a rural Missouri clinic: a qualitative case study

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance ◽

10.1108/ijhcqa-05-2018-0131 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 788-804 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ricardo Wray ◽

Nancy Weaver ◽

Prajakta Adsul ◽

Kanak Gautam ◽

Keri Jupka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organizational Change ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Literacy Practices ◽

Health Care Organization ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Organizational Health ◽

Health Clinic ◽

Care Organization ◽

Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a collaborative effort between a health care organization and academic institution to strengthen organizational health literacy. Design/methodology/approach The intervention took place at a rural, federally qualified health clinic in Missouri between May 2009 and April 2011. Qualitative interviews of key informants were conducted before (n=35) and after (n=23) the intervention to examine program implementation and success in effecting organizational change. Findings Intervention activities helped establish a comprehensive understanding of health literacy. The project achieved moderate, fundamental and sustainable organizational change. The program successfully integrated health literacy practices into clinic systems and garnered leadership and organizational commitment, helped the workforce improve interpersonal communication and embedded practices making health education materials more accessible. Originality/value The study points to programmatic, conceptual and methodological challenges that must be addressed for organizations to improve health literacy practices, and suggests change management strategies to advance organizational health literacy.

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Health Literacy: What Is It and Why Is It Important to Measure?

The Journal of Rheumatology ◽

10.3899/jrheum.110406 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 38 (8) ◽

pp. 1791-1797 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

RACHELLE BUCHBINDER ◽

ROY BATTERHAM ◽

SABINA CICIRIELLO ◽

STAN NEWMAN ◽

BEN HORGAN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Group Process ◽

Routine Care ◽

Cognitive Capacity ◽

Nominal Group ◽

Management Skills ◽

Health System Information ◽

System Information ◽

Literacy Tool

This report summarizes the proceedings of the first Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) Health Literacy Special Interest Group workshop at the OMERACT 10 conference. Health literacy refers to an individual’s capacity to seek, understand, and use health information. Discussion centered on the relevance of health literacy to the rheumatology field; whether measures of health literacy were important in the context of clinical trials and routine care; and, if so, whether disease-specific measures were required. A nominal group process involving 27 workshop participants, comprising a patient group (n = 12) and a healthcare professional and researcher group (n = 15), confirmed that health literacy encompasses a broad range of concepts and skills that existing scales do not measure. It identified the importance and relevance of patient abilities and characteristics, but also health professional factors and broader contextual factors. Sixteen themes were identified: access to information; cognitive capacity; disease; expression/communication; finances; health professionals; health system; information; literacy/numeracy; management skills; medication; patient approach; dealing with problems; psychological characteristics; social supports; and time. Each of these was divided further into subthemes of one or more of the following: knowledge, attitude, attribute, relationship, skill, action, or context. There were virtually no musculoskeletal-specific statements, suggesting that a generic health literacy tool in rheumatology is justified. The detailed concepts across themes provided new and systematic insight into what needs to be done to improve health literacy and consequently reduce health inequalities. These data will be used to derive a more comprehensive measure of health literacy.

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Medication Health Literacy Measure: Development and Psychometric Properties

Journal of Nursing Measurement ◽

10.1891/1061-3749.22.2.213 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 213-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Carol S. Stilley ◽

Lauren Terhorst ◽

William B. Flynn ◽

Roberta M. Fiore ◽

Erin D. Stimer

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Adult Literacy ◽

Oral Medications ◽

New Instrument ◽

Newest Vital Sign ◽

Components Analysis ◽

Low Levels ◽

The Impact ◽

Literacy Tool

Background and Purpose: Low levels of health literacy are prevalent worldwide. This report details development and psychometric properties of a health literacy measure for oral medications based on design of the Newest Vital Sign. Methods: The measure was completed during the baseline interview. A principal components analysis evaluated dimensionality of the measure. Cronbach’s alpha assessed subscale internal consistencies. Results: Internal consistencies and reliability for the subscales were acceptable for a new instrument (α = .661, α = .686, α = .400). A 3-factor structure explained 65.34% of the total variance. Divergent validity with the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) was established. Conclusions: Our data indicates that the medication health literacy tool is multidimensional, valid, and reliable. This information is important in light of emerging evidence of the impact of health literacy on medication adherence and health.

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