Development of the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) self-assessment tool and process

Health literacy refers to the skills and knowledge that influence a person’s ability to access, understand and use information to make health-related decisions, which are influenced by the complexity of their health needs and the demands health services place on them. The aim of this study was to field-test the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) tool and process to determine their utility in assessing health literacy responsiveness and for supporting organisations to plan health literacy-related improvement activities. Four organisations in Victoria, Australia, field-tested the Org-HLR tool. Data were collected through direct observation, participant feedback, and focus groups. Forty-three individuals participated in field-testing activities, and 20 took part in focus group meetings. Themes relating to the applicability and utility of the Org-HLR self-assessment tool and process were identified. Field-testing resulted in a number of refinements to the tool and process. Twenty-eight indicators were removed, 29 were rephrased to improve their clarity, and four new indicators were added. The revised Org-HLR self-assessment tool contains six dimensions, 22 sub-dimensions and 110 performance indicators. The Org-HLR tool and process were perceived as useful for assessing health literacy responsiveness, prioritising improvement activities, and establishing a benchmark for monitoring and evaluation of improvements over time. Testing generated an improved Org-HLR tool and assessment process that are likely to have utility across a broad range of health and social service sector organisations.

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Self-Assessment Tool to Promote Organizational Health Literacy in Primary Care Settings in Switzerland

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17249497 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (24) ◽

pp. 9497

Author(s):

Saskia Maria De Gani ◽

Daniela Nowak-Flück ◽

Dunja Nicca ◽

Dominique Vogt

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Information ◽

Health Care Organizations ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Action Plan ◽

Organizational Health ◽

The Self ◽

Self Assessment

Dealing with health information and taking care of one’s own health are key aspects of health literacy and a difficulty for nearly half of the population in Europe. Limited health literacy often results in poorer health outcomes. Health literacy is a fundamental health determinant, and its improvement provides great potential for addressing public health challenges. Health care organizations play an important role in improving population’s health literacy. Health literate health care organizations facilitate access, understanding and use of health information and decrease the demands and complexities of the health care system. Few efforts have been taken so far to promote organizational health literacy, especially in German-speaking countries. This project aimed at developing a self-assessment tool, which enables primary care organizations to assess and improve their level of health literacy. The self-assessment tool was developed and evaluated with general practitioners and community care organizations in Switzerland. Here the participative development process, outcomes and the three modules of the self-assessment tool are presented: (1) manual with detailed introduction and instruction, (2) checklist for self-assessment of organizational health literacy and (3) handbook with measures for improvement. The aim of this tool is that organizations are able to identify the need for action, plan and implement improvement measures.

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The Vienna self-assessment questionnaire: a usable tool towards more health-literate hospitals? Explorative case studies in three hospitals in Belgium

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-06211-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gilles Henrard ◽

Marc Vanmeerbeek ◽

Nadia Dardenne ◽

Jany Rademakers

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Case Studies ◽

Round Table ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Added Value ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Adequate Health Literacy ◽

Mode Of Application ◽

Information Materials ◽

Health Literacy Responsiveness

Abstract Background Strengthening the capacity of hospitals to take into account the level of health literacy of their public is a necessity to improve the quality of care. One way to develop adequate health literacy responsive policy and strategies in hospitals is the use of self-assessment tools to raise awareness, help prioritise action and mobilise stakeholders. The Vienna Health Literate Organisation (V-HLO) questionnaire, recently translated and adapted into French, is designed to meet this objective. In this study we have piloted the French version of the V-HLO (V-HLO-fr) tool in the main hospitals of Liège (Belgium) to explore its feasibility and gain a first insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the health literacy responsiveness of the participating hospitals. Methods We performed explorative case studies in three hospitals. Our mode of application of the V-HLO-fr was inspired by the ‘RAND Appropriateness’ method: first, individual members of an internal multidisciplinary panel filled out the questionnaire and then the results were discussed collectively in each hospital during a ‘round table’ meeting. The feasibility of the process was assessed by direct observation of the round tables and with semi-structured phone interviews. Results The V-HLO-fr tool was fully applied in the three targeted hospitals and the process seems to be acceptable, practicable and integrable. Strengths (e.g. the facilitation of patient navigation to the hospital) and weaknesses (e.g. the provision of easy to read, understand and act on health information materials) in terms of health literacy responsiveness have been highlighted. Conclusion V-HLO-fr can be a suitable tool for a needs assessment that allows hospitals to create awareness and formulate targeted actions to further strengthen their health literacy responsiveness. Its mode of application, formalised by taking inspiration from the RAND method, could be further improved by paying more attention to recruiting and supporting participants. The V-HLO-fr and its added value in real-world projects should now be further tested in a larger number of hospitals.

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Dealing with health literacy at the organisational level, French translation and adaptation of the Vienna health literate organisation self-assessment tool

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-019-3955-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Gilles Henrard ◽

Marc Vanmeerbeek ◽

Laetitia Buret ◽

Jany Rademakers

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

French Translation ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Organisational Level

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Validating a model & self-assessment tool to measure organizational health literacy in hospitals

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz187.005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

J Pelikan ◽

P Nowak

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Services ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Health Care Organization ◽

Organizational Health ◽

Care Organization ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Health Promoting

Abstract Background The European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU) demonstrated that in many European countries a considerable proportion of the population has limited health literacy (HL), that there is a social gradient for HL and that HL is associated with use of health services. Furthermore research mostly from the US also showed that HL of patients has detrimental effects not only on use but also on outcomes of health care. Therefore in the US the concept of the Health Literate Health Care Organization (HLHCO) has been developed by IOM to make health services more sensitive to the needs of patients with limited HL. Methods Based on the IOM concept, a more comprehensive model of a Health Literate Health Care Organization fulfilling criteria of WHÓs health promoting setting approach has been developed. A set of standards and indicators according to quality management criteria (ISQUA) to measure the organizational HL of a hospital has been constructed, tested and validated in 9 different kinds of hospitals by a team in Vienna. This model and measurement tool has been translated to English and other languages and been used and validated also in other countries (Belgium, Italy, Taiwan). By an international working group of the international Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services network an international version of the model and tool has been developed and will be tested in different countries. Results The model and self-assessment tool has been demonstrated to be acceptable, feasibly, valid and useful to start self-assessment and improvement of organizational HL in different types of hospitals and health care systems. Conclusions Organizational HL of health services matters for use and quality of health care of patients. Measuring organizational HL of hospitals by a validated instrument can support development of a more health literate health care organization and by that improve quality of care and tackle the health gap. Key messages Health literacy matter for health care and can be measured and improved on a personal and on an organizations or systems level to improve quality of care and tackle the health gap. A model and self-assessment instrument to measure organizational health literacy of hospitals has been developed and validated to support hospitals to improve their organizational health literacy.

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Testing a self-assessment tool for HP competencies with participants of training courses in Austria

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.1050 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

G Lang

Keyword(s):

Assessment Tool ◽

Core Competencies ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

International Standards ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Self Assessment ◽

High Quality ◽

Training Courses ◽

Training Programmes

Abstract Background High quality health promotion (HP) depends on a competent workforce for which professional development programmes for practitioners are essential. The “CompHP Core Competencies Framework in HP” defines crucial competency domains but a recent review concluded that the implementation and use of the framework is lacking. The aim was to develop and validate a self-assessment tool for HP competencies, which should help evaluate training courses. Methods A brief self-assessment tool was employed in 2018 in Austria. 584 participants of 77 training courses submitted their post-course assessment (paper-pencil, RR = 78.1%). In addition, longitudinal data are available for 148 participants who filled in a pre-course online questionnaire. Measurement reliability and validity was tested by single factor, bifactor, multigroup, and multilevel CFA. A SEM proved for predictive and concurrent validity, controlling gender and age. Results A bifactor model (X2/df=3.69, RMSEA=.07, CFI=.95, sRMR=.07) showed superior results with a strong general CompHP factor (FL>.65, wH=.90, ECV=.85), configurally invariant for two training programmes. On course level, there was only minimal variance between trainings (ICC<.08). Structurally, there was a significant increase in HP competencies when comparing pre- and post-course measurements (b=.33, p<.01). Participants showed different levels of competencies due to prior knowledge (b=.38, p<.001) and course format (b=.16, p<.06). The total scale had good properties (m = 49.8, sd = 10.3, 95%-CI: 49.0-50.7) and discriminated between groups (eg by training length). Conclusions The results justify the creation of an overall scale to assess core HP competencies. It is recommended to use the scale for evaluating training courses. The work compensates for the lack of empirical studies on the CompHP concept and facilitates a broader empirical application of a uniform competency framework for HP in accordance with international standards in HP and public health. Key messages The self-assessment tool provides a good and compact foundation for assessing HP competencies. It provides a basis for holistic, high quality and sustainable capacity building or development in HP.

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Beijing Friendship Hospital Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Elderly Male (BFH-OSTM) vs Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) for identifying painful new osteoporotic vertebral fractures in older Chinese men: a cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-021-04476-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ning An ◽

Ji Sheng Lin ◽

Qi Fei

Keyword(s):

Assessment Tool ◽

Roc Curves ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fracture Group ◽

Friendship Hospital ◽

Fracture Risk Assessment Tool ◽

Older Chinese ◽

Sensitivity Specificity

Abstract Background To compare the validation of four tools for identifying painful new osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (PNOVCFs) in older Chinese men: bone mineral density (BMD), Asian osteoporosis self-assessment tool (OSTA), World Health Organization fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) (without BMD) and Beijing Friendship Hospital Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool (BFH-OSTM). Methods A cross sectional study was conducted from 2013 to 2019. A total of 846 men aged ≥50 were included and were divided into two groups: Fracture Group (patients with PNOVCFs underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty surgery) and Non-Fracture Group (community dwelled subjects for healthy examination). All subjects accepted a dual-energy X-ray BMD test and a structured questionnaire. The results of BMD, OSTA, FRAX and BFH-OSTM scores were assessed and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to compare the validity of four tools for identifying PNOVCFs. Optimal cutoff points, sensitivity, specificity, and areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were determined. Results There were significant differences including BMD T score (femoral neck, total hip and L1-L4), OSTA, FRAX and BFH-OSTM scores between Fracture group and Non-fracture group. Compared to BMD and OSTA, BFH-OSTM and FRAX had better predictive value, the sensitivity, specificity and AUC value are 0.841, 81.29%, 70.67% and 0.796, 74.85%, 78.52%, respectively. Compared with FRAX, the BFH-OSTM has a better AUC value. Conclusions Both BFH-OSTM and FRAX can be used to identify POVCFs, However, BFH-OSTM model may be a more simple and effective tool to identify the risk of POVCFs in Chinese elderly men.

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