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

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.

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

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.

scholarly journals 31.C. Workshop: Development and implementation of action plans on health literacy

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Action Plans

Abstract Health literacy (HL) has become an important topic in many countries. As HL - meaning the ability to access, understand, appraise and apply health information (Sørensen et al. 2012) - is important to make sound health decisions, to promote health and to take an active part in managing health and illness in everyday life and navigating the health care system. In the modern digital knowledge society, HL is also indispensable for orienting oneself in the abundance of mostly digital health information, including incorrect and false information, for locating reliable information and for assessing the trustworthiness and quality of information. However, available studies show that HL is insufficient in many countries. Low HL has - as many studies show - negative social consequences ranging from unhealthy behaviour, higher risk for diseases, less self-care and deficits in coping with illness and chronicity, to over- and misuse (extensive use) of health care. The promotion of HL is therefore an important public health task. An increasing number of population studies and policy documents currently underline this. The WHO has therefore included HL into many of its strategies, like the declarations of Shanghai (2016) and Astana (2018), and has published several publications focusing on HL, like the Solid Facts (2013), the 57th Health Evidence Network Report (2018) or the Roadmap for Implementing Health Literacy Activities (2019). In many countries, strategies and national action plans to improve HL have been developed in response to the political call for action, e.g. in Scotland, Germany and recently also in Portugal. Other countries and regions are currently working on the development of a HL action plan, e.g. Belgium and the WHO European Region action plan on HL. The development and especially the implementation strategies of action plans in different countries and the experiences gained will be discussed comparatively in the workshop. Following an introduction (10'), two countries, which already have action plans will introduce their implementation strategy in one presentation each: Germany and Portugal (30'). This will be followed by two presentations of countries/regions in which action plans are currently being developed: Belgium and WHO Europe (30'). Afterwards the participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss on the different strategies (20'). The workshop will help other initiatives to successfully develop and implement policy plans and strategies in different fields of public health. Key messages Strategies and national action plans to improve HL have been developed in different countries/regions. It is important to reflect on the chosen development and implementation strategies and to discuss their effects, successes and barriers.

Contextualizing Health Literacy to Health Care Organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 611-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmela Annarumma ◽  
Rocco Palumbo
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Health Care Organization ◽  
Organizational Health ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Care Organization ◽  
Health Care Environment ◽  
Inadequate Health Literacy ◽  
The Way

Parker, Ratzen and Lurie (2003) pointed out that a silent epidemic is affecting the health status of the American population, namely poor health literacy. Actually, inadequate health literacy is the main cause of the patients’ inability to navigate the health care environment, paving the way for inappropriateness in the provision of care as well as for poor health outcomes. Moreover, it has been esteemed that a third of the European population is not able to properly understand, process and use health information (HLS-EU Consortium, 2012). The same issue has been identified in several Asian countries (see, for example, Nakayama et al., 2015; Pednekar, Gupta & Gupta, 2011). What is striking is that—until today—the attention has been focused on the individual determinants of low health literacy, while studies concerning the organizational health literacy—that is to say, the ability of health care organization to establish friendly and comfortable relationships with the patients—are uncommon (Weaver, Wray, Zellin, Gautam & Jupka, 2012). This article is aimed at exploring the way health care organizations deal with patients living with inadequate health literacy. Drawing on the prevailing literature (Brach et al., 2012; DeWalt et al., 2013; Matthews & Sewell, 2002; Murphy-Knoll, 2007; Stableford & Mettger, 2007) the main approaches to improve organizational health literacy are examined. Then, a distinction between formal and informal tools to address organizational health literacy is suggested and the effectiveness of both of them is compared. The findings of the research suggest that informal tools are more common than formal tools, even though the former have lower perceived effectiveness as compared with the latter. Health care organizations seem to be still far from effectively activating comprehensive organizational health literacy pathways. There is a desperate need for systemic efforts to enhance the awareness of organizational health literacy and to encourage processes of change towards health literate organizational environments.

Exploring the meaningfulness of healthcare organizations: a multiple case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 503-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocco Palumbo ◽  
Carmela Annarumma ◽  
Marco Musella
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Organizational Health ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case

Purpose Patient empowerment has been variously depicted as a new paradigm inspiring the patient-provider relationship. To the authors’ knowledge, scholars have focused most of their attention on patient enablement. Alternatively, the ability of health care organizations to establish a comfortable and co-creating partnership with the patients has been overlooked. In an attempt to fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to delve into the meaningfulness of health care organizations, embracing the “organizational health literacy” perspective. Design/methodology/approach In line with the exploratory nature of this research, a multiple case study approach was taken. It concerned three large public hospitals operating within the Italian National Health Service. The meaningfulness of health care organizations was investigated drawing on the organizational health literacy construct. Findings The health care organizations were unaware of several crucial issues to improve their meaningfulness. Problematic organizational health literacy was found to prevent patient involvement and to negatively affect the quality of interaction between the patients and the health care professionals. Practical implications Inadequate organizational health literacy impoverishes the ability of health care organizations to empower the patients and to engage them in value co-creation. The institutional purposes of empowering the patients and involving them in the provision of care require tailored interventions intended to improve organizational meaningfulness. Originality/value This is one of the first attempts to examine the meaningfulness of health care organizations through the lenses of organizational health literacy. Both quality of care and health outcomes are expected to benefit from the enhancement of organizational health literacy.

scholarly journals Advancing Organizational Health Literacy in Health Care Organizations Serving High-Needs Populations: A Case Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (sup3) ◽  
pp. 55-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy L. Weaver ◽  
Ricardo J. Wray ◽  
Stacie Zellin ◽  
Kanak Gautam ◽  
Keri Jupka
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Organizational Health

scholarly journals Mixed methods assessment of impact on health awareness in adult childhood cancer survivors after viewing their personalized digital treatment summary and follow-up recommendations

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena M. Linge ◽  
Cecilia Follin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Childhood Cancer ◽  
Childhood Cancer Survivors ◽  
The Self ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Treatment Summary

Abstract Background The survival rate after childhood cancer has improved to 80%. The majority of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) will experience late complications which require follow up care, including access to their individual cancer treatment summary. The need to understand CCS needs and preferences in terms of ways to receive information e.g. digitally, becomes important. This study aims to through a mixed methods approach a) examine how CCS’ health awareness was impacted by viewing their personalized digital treatment summary and follow-up recommendations, b) explore E health literacy, and c) determine self-reported survivorship experiences and health care usage. Methods Survivors with a recent visit to the Late effects clinic were eligible for the study (n = 70). A representative sample of primary diagnoses were invited (n = 28). 16 CCS were enrolled. Recent medical visits, e health literacy and impressions of the digital treatment summary were assessed by a survey in conjunction with viewing their digital treatment summary on a computer screen. Their experience of reading and understanding their digital treatment summary in the context of their health related survivorship experiences were assessed in focus groups. The transcribed data was analyzed with conventional qualitative content analysis. Results The self-reported medical problems largely reflected that, only 6,3% reported no cancer-related reasons for seeking medical attention. Of the medical specialists, the primary care physician was the most frequently visited specialist (68.8%). High E health literacy was not associated with treatment features but with educational level (p = 0.003, CI: 3.9–14.6) and sex (p = 0.022, CI: − 13.6- -1.3). All survivors graded the digital treatment summary above average in terms of being valuable, agreeable and comprehensive. The focus group interviews identified three themes: 1) The significance of information, 2) The impact of awareness; and 3) Empowerment. Conclusions Reading the treatment summaries furthered the survivors understanding of their health situation and consequently aided empowerment. A digital treatment summary, provided by knowledgeable health care professionals, may increase the self-managed care and adherence to follow-up recommendations. Further insights into e health literacy in larger samples of CCS may determine to what extent health-related information can be communicated via digital resources to this at risk population.

scholarly journals A health literacy analysis of the consumer-oriented COVID-19 information produced by ten state health departments

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nandita S. Mani ◽  
Terri Ottosen ◽  
Megan Fratta ◽  
Fei Yu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Public Health Departments ◽  
Material Type ◽  
Information Materials

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the public’s need for quality health information that is understandable. This study aimed to identify (1) the extent to which COVID-19 messaging by state public health departments is understandable, actionable, and clear; (2) whether materials produced by public health departments are easily readable; (3) relationships between material type and understandability, actionability, clarity, and reading grade level; and (4) potential strategies to improve public health messaging around COVID-19. Methods: Based on US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics from June 30, 2020, we identified the ten states with the most COVID-19 cases and selected forty-two materials (i.e., webpages, infographics, and videos) related to COVID-19 prevention according to predefined eligibility criteria. We applied three validated health literacy tools (i.e., Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool, CDC Clear Communication Index, and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level) to assess material understandability, actionability, clarity, and readability. We also analyzed correlations between scores on the three health literacy tools and material types.Results: Overall, COVID-19 materials had high understandability and actionability but could be improved in terms of clarity and readability. Material type was significantly correlated with understandability, actionability, and clarity. Infographics and videos received higher scores on all tools.Conclusions: Based on our findings, we recommend public health entities apply a combination of these tools when developing health information materials to improve their understandability, actionability, and clarity. We also recommend using infographics and videos when possible, taking a human-centered approach to information design, and providing multiple modes and platforms for information delivery.

scholarly journals Development and validation of the Vietnamese Primary Care Assessment Tool – provider version

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Hoa ◽  
Anselme Derese ◽  
Jeffrey F. Markuns ◽  
Nguyen Minha Tam ◽  
Wim Peersman
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Quality Of Primary Care ◽  
Care Assessment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Care Assessment Tool

Abstract Aim: To adapt the provider version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) for Vietnam and determine its internal consistency and validity. Background: There is a growing need to measure and explore the impact of various characteristics of health care systems on the quality of primary care. It would provide the best evidence for policy makers if these evaluations come from both the demand and supply sides of the health care sector. Comparatively more researchers have studied primary care quality from the consumer perspective than from the provider’s perspective. This study aims at the latter. Method: Our study translated and adapted the PCAT provider version (PCAT PE) into a Vietnamese version, after which a cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine the feasibility, internal consistency and validity of the Vietnamese PCAT provider version (VN PCAT PE). All general doctors working at 152 commune health centres in Thua Thien Hue province had been selected to participate in the survey. Findings: The VN PCAT PE is an instrument for evaluation of primary care in Vietnam with 116 items comprising six scales representing four core primary care domains, and three additional scales representing three derivative domains. From the translation and cultural adaptation stage, two items were combined, two items were removed and one item was added. Six other items were excluded due to problems in item-total correlations. All items have a low non-response or ‘don’t know/don’t remember’ response rate, and there were no floor or ceiling effects. All scales had a Cronbach’s alpha above 0.80, except for the Coordination scale, which still was above the minimum level of 0.70. Conclusion: The VN PCAT PE demonstrates adequate internal consistency and validity to be used as an effective tool for measuring the quality of primary care in Vietnam from the provider perspective.

scholarly journals Organizational Health Literacy in Facilities for People with Disabilities: First Results of an Explorative Qualitative and Quantitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Rathmann ◽  
Theres Vockert ◽  
Lorena Denise Wetzel ◽  
Judith Lutz ◽  
Kevin Dadaczynski
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Health Care Organization ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Organizational Health ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Organization ◽  
Skilled Staff

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document