Research protocol: Management of obesity in patients with low health literacy in primary health care

Health literacy is fundamental if people are to successfully manage their own health. This requires a range of skills and knowledge about health and health care, including finding, understanding, interpreting and communicating health information, seeking of appropriate care and making critical health decisions. A primary health system that is appropriate and universally accessible requires an active agenda based on research of approaches to address low health literacy, while health care providers should be alert to the widespread problems of health literacy which span all age levels. This article reviews the progress made in Australia on health literacy in primary health care since health literacy was included in Australia's health goals and targets in the mid-1990s. A database search of published literature was conducted to identify existing examples of health literacy programs in Australia. Considerable work has been done on mental health literacy, and research into chronic disease self-management with CALD communities, which includes health literacy, is under way. However, the lack of breadth in research has led to a knowledge base that is patchy. The few Australian studies located on health literacy research together with the data about general literacy in Australia suggests the need for much more work to be done to increase our knowledge base about health literacy, in order to develop appropriate resources and tools to manage low health literacy in primary health settings.

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Assessing mental health literacy of primary health care workers in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

International Journal of Mental Health Systems ◽

10.1186/s13033-021-00481-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Elijah Marangu ◽

Fethi Mansouri ◽

Natisha Sands ◽

David Ndetei ◽

Peterson Muriithi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Mental Health Literacy ◽

Primary Health ◽

Primary Health Care Services ◽

Care Workers

Abstract Aim To assess mental health literacy of health workers in primary health care services in Kenya. Background Mental illness is common in Kenya, yet there are fewer than 500 specialist mental health workers to serve Kenya’s population of over 50 million. The World Health Organization recommends the integration of mental health care into primary health care services to improve access to and equity of this care, especially in low and middle-income countries. An important step to integrating mental health care into primary health care services is to determine mental health literacy levels of the primary health care workforce. Method A cross-sectional survey using Jorm’s Mental Health Literacy Instrument (adapted for the Kenyan context) was administered to 310 primary health care workers in four counties of Kenya. Results Of the 310 questionnaires distributed, 212 (68.3%) were returned. Of the respondents, 13% had a formal mental health qualification, while only 8.7% had received relevant continuing professional development in the five years preceding the survey. Just over one third (35.6%) of primary health care workers could correctly identify depression, with even fewer recognising schizophrenia (15.7%). Conclusions This study provides preliminary information about mental health literacy among primary health care workers in Kenya. The majority of respondents had low mental health literacy as indicated by their inability to identify common mental disorders. While identifying gaps in primary health care workers’ mental health knowledge, these data highlight opportunities for capacity building that can enhance mental health care in Kenya and similar low and middle-income countries.

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Explore mental health literacy of primary health care staff in Macau

Journal of Nursing & Care ◽

10.4172/2167-1168-c10-091 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 07 ◽

Author(s):

Ka Wa Mio ◽

Song-Yuan Huang

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Mental Health Literacy ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Primary Health

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Health literacy in a population of primary health-care patients in Belgrade, Serbia

International Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1007/s00038-010-0181-0 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 201-207 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Aleksandra Jovic-Vranes ◽

Vesna Bjegovic-Mikanovic ◽

Jelena Marinkovic ◽

Nikola Kocev

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Primary Health

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Communicating with migrants: children’s health literacy, digital technology, health promotion tools

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.491 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

A Reis ◽

L Saboga-Nunes ◽

A Spínola ◽

I Santos ◽

C Santiago

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Common Ground ◽

Care Setting ◽

Ethnographic Study ◽

Health Care Setting ◽

Primary Health Care Setting ◽

Primary Health

Abstract Background Being a migrant can enact road blocks in the process of integration, if language barriers persist in the communication between health professionals and migrants. Moreover, health literacy levels (HL) can differ, based on different cultural contexts or conceptions of health and illness. This research aims at exploring migrants (digital) HL and the mediating role of migrant’s children in primary health care setting. Health professionals’ resort to migrants’ children as interpreters and mediators has been highlighted with the younger generations’ digital literacy, as critical tools to overcome such barriers. Assessing and promoting migrant’s HL is a public health mandate in the promotion of individual and family health to establish a common ground base for communication. Methods A qualitative and ethnographic study based on narratives, participant observation, focus group and ethno biographic interviews with nurses, migrants, medical doctors and intercultural mediators, involved 52 participants in a primary health care setting in Santarém district, Portugal. Partnership with the Observatory for Migration, the High Commission for Migration (ACM) and with migrant associations, enabled the completion by migrants of an online questionnaire focusing on digital HL. Results Migrants’ children were identified as facilitators in the clinical setting at three levels: the communication, HL promotion and adherence to continuity of care. Conclusions Improve migrant’s HL and health decisions is feasible when considering several strategies to overcome cultural barriers. Migrants’ children are potential mediators in the process of communication between health professionals and adults. Awareness of their potential allows adjustments in the primary health care sector. The need to further investigate migrants’ HL and digital HL (e.g. telephone translation services, Internet-based tools for scheduling health appointments) are some tasks that need further research.

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Health communication in primary health care

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20180789 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 1224

Author(s):

Rashmi G. Patel ◽

T. Stephen

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Communication ◽

Information And Communication Technology ◽

Communication Technology ◽

Primary Health ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Interactive Health

Developing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported health communication in PHC could contribute to increased health literacy and empowerment, which are foundations for enabling people to increase control over their health, as a way to reduce increasing lifestyle related ill health. However, to increase the likelihood of success of implementing ICT supported health communication, it is essential to conduct a detailed analysis of the setting and context prior to the intervention. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of health communication for health promotion in PHC with emphasis on the implications for a planned ICT supported interactive health channel.

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