scholarly journals Health Literacy in Multiple Sclerosis patients: A Concept Analysis Using the Evolutionary Method

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
Ali Dehghani
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Concept Analysis ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Evolutionary Method ◽  
Concept Of Health ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Abstract Introduction:Health literacy is one of the effective factors in health promotion of chronic patients. However, little attention has been paid to it; no exact and clear definition of health literacy has ever been accessible in chronic diseases. This study was conducted with aim of defining and clarifying attributes, antecedents, and consequences of health literacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Methods: Rodgers’ evolutionary method of concept analysis was used to clarify the concept of health literacy in MS patients. A literature review was conducted with key terms "multiple sclerosis", "health literacy", "information literacy", "functional health", "health education", "health promotion" and "health behavior". Eight hundred and sixty papers for the period 1980– 2019 were found and finally 23 articles and texts were selected for the analysis. Data analysis was carried out using a thematic analysis. Results: Health literacy in MS patients is a multidimensional concept with forth attributes: health information evaluation, understand disease and its related issues, reading skills and capacity to use knowledge. Ability to read and comprehend, interacting with health personnel, and interacting with peers as an antecedents and improved self-care, health promotion, medication adherence, and decreased use of health care services to be the consequences of these attributes were found. Conclusion: The findings can add knowledge about the concept of health literacy in MS patients. Also, health care professionals can use a deeper understanding of the concept of health literacy in providing care plan for MS patients.

Benefits, Challenges, and Social Impact of Health Care Providers’ Adoption of Social Media

2021 ◽  
pp. 089443932110257
Author(s):  
Md Irfanuzzaman Khan ◽  
Jennifer (M.I.) Loh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Actual Use ◽  
Use Of Social Media

With the advent of telecommunication technologies and social media, many health care professionals are using social media to communicate with their patients and to promote health. However, the literature reveals a lacuna in our understanding of health care professionals’ perception of their behavioral intentions to use innovations. Using the Unified Technology Acceptance Framework (unified theory of acceptance and use of technology), in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 Australian health care experts to uncover their intent and actual use of social media in their medical practices. Results revealed that social media tools offered five significant benefits such as (i) enhanced communication between health care professionals and their patients, (ii) community support, (iii) enabled e-learning, (iv) enhanced professional network, and (v) expedited health promotion. However, result also revealed barriers to social media usage including (i) inefficiency, (ii) privacy concerns, (iii) poor quality of information, (iv) lack of trust, and (v) blurred professional boundary. Peer influence and supporting conditions were also found to be determinants of social media adoption behaviors among health care professionals. This study has important implications for health care providers, patients, and policy makers on the responsible use of social media, health promotion, and health communication. This research is also among the very few studies that explore Australian health care professionals’ intent and actual use of innovations within a health care setting.

Defining Taiwanese children’s health literacy abilities from a health promotion perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 69-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Ling Liao ◽  
Chieh-Hsing Liu ◽  
Chi-Chia Cheng ◽  
Tzu-Chau Chang
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Children’S Health ◽  
Measurement Tool

Background: Health literacy is related to health inequality, health behaviors, and health status. Globally, health literacy has primarily focused on adults and has been based on the medical model. It is necessary to understand children’s life experiences as they relate to health; thus, this study attempted to evaluate and describe the health literacy abilities of sixth-graders in Taiwan. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 10 teachers and 11 caregivers, and focus groups were conducted with 32 children. Health literacy abilities corresponding to real-life situations were identified from life skills and the Taiwanese Curriculum Guidelines for health education. Three expert meetings were held to redefine children’s health literacy using a health promotion perspective and confirmed indicators. Results: An operational definition of three aspects of children’s health literacy and 25 abilities was proposed: 11 functional health literacy abilities (e.g. understands the connection between personal health care behaviors and health); seven interactive health literacy abilities (e.g. obtains and understands information from various channels); and seven critical health literacy abilities (e.g. analyzes the relationship between personal needs and diet choices for a balanced diet). These indicators cover 10 health education categories. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of understanding Taiwanese children’s health literacy, and the urgency of developing an appropriate measurement tool. The definition and indicators in this study were identified using a child-centered approach focusing on children’s real-life experiences. The result serves as a solid basis for the development of the Taiwan Children’s Health Literacy Scale, and provides information for the decision-making sector on health education.

scholarly journals The Dimensions of Tokenism in Patient and Family Engagement: A Concept Analysis of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1610-1620
Author(s):  
Umair Majid
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
International Association ◽  
Concept Analysis ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Power Relationships ◽  
Health Service Planning ◽  
The Public ◽  
Professional Goals

Patient engagement (PE) has become embedded in discussions about health service planning and quality improvement, and the goal has been to find ways to observe the potential beneficial outcomes associated with PE. Patients and health care professionals use various terms to depict PE, for example, partnership and collaboration. Similarly, tokenism is consistently used to describe PE that has gone wrong. There is a lack of clarity, however, on the meanings and implications of tokenism on PE activities. The objective of this concept analysis was to examine the peer-reviewed and gray literature that has discussed tokenism to identify how we currently understand and use the concept. This review discusses 4 dimensions of tokenism: unequal power, limited impact, ulterior motives, and opposite of meaningful PE. These dimensions explicate the different components, meanings, and implications of tokenism in PE practice. The findings of this review emphasize how tokenism is primarily perceived as negative by supporters of PE, but this attribution depends on patients’ preferences for engagement. In addition, this review compares the dimensions of tokenism with the levels of engagement in the International Association of the Public Participation spectrum. This review suggests that there are 2 gradations of tokenism; while tokenism represents unequal power relationships in favor of health care professionals, this may lead to either limited or no meaningful change or change that is primarily aligned with the personal and professional goals of clinicians, managers, and decision-makers.

Mobility in Multiple Sclerosis: More than just a Physical Problem

2000 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Chan ◽  
CS Heck
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Physical Disability ◽  
Physical Problem ◽  
Societal Issue ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Mobility Devices ◽  
The Individual

Abstract Mobility restriction is a common physical disability among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Psychological, sociocultural, environmental, political, and economic influences are among the factors that affect the mobility of a person with MS. These factors have also been identified as elements of the determinants of individual and population health. Health care professionals providing services to the MS population often prescribe appropriate mobility devices for those with mobility restrictions. The goal is to enhance activities and participation in all domains of the individual's life. In addition to directing their services at the individual level, health care professionals addressing mobility issues of individuals with MS should include the additional factors and other determinants of health at the population and societal levels. Therefore, mobility is not only an individual's physical problem, but it is also a population health issue and a societal issue.

scholarly journals Does higher health literacy lead to higher trust in public hospitals?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Bertram ◽  
Urs Steiner Brandt ◽  
Rikke Klitten Hansen ◽  
Gert Tinggaard Svendsen
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care System

Abstract Background: Does higher health literacy lead to higher trust in public hospitals? Existing literature suggests that this is the case since a positive association between the level of health literacy and the level of trust in physicians and the health care system has been shown. This study aims to challenge this assumption. Methods: Based on theoretical arguments from game theory and analysis of empirical data, we argue that the association is better described as an inversely u-shaped curve, suggesting that low and high levels of health literacy lead to a lower level of trust than a medium level of health literacy does. The empirical analysis is based on a study of the Danes’ relationship to the overall health care system. More than 6,000 Danes have been asked about their overall expectations of the health service, their concrete experiences and their attitudes to a number of change initiatives. Results: Game theory analysis show that the combined perceived cooperation and benefit effects can explain an inversely u-shaped relationship between social groups and trust in the health care system. Based on quantitative, binary regression analyses of empirical data, the lowest degree of trust is found among patients from the lowest and highest social groups, while the highest degree of trust is found in the middle group. The main driver for this result is that while patients having low health literacy perceive that the health care system is not cooperative, patients with a high level of health literacy have high expectations about the quality, which the health care system might not be able to provide. This reduces the perceived benefit from their encounter with the health care system. Conclusion: It is important that health care professionals understand that some patient groups have a higher chance of cooperation (e.g., agreeing on the choice of treatment) or defection (e.g. passing a complaint) than others. In perspective, future research should undertake further qualitative examinations of possible patient types and their demands in relation to different health care sectors, focusing specifically on the opportunities to improve the handling of different patient types.

scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis and Sexuality: A Survey of MS Health Professionals' Comfort, Training, and Inquiry About Sexual Dysfunction

2003 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Germaine A. Griswold ◽  
Frederick W. Foley ◽  
June Halper ◽  
Nicholas G. LaRocca ◽  
Vance Zemon
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Sexual Dysfunction ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Sexual Functioning ◽  
Human Sexuality ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
And Training ◽  
Frequent Problem

When health care professionals were asked about their perceptions of, assessment of, and treatment methods for sexual dysfunction, they acknowledged that sexual dysfunction was a frequent problem for MS patients, although few addressed the issue with their patients. Most also believed that very few of the patients actually sought help for sexual dysfunction. In addition to comfort level and training as the strongest predictors determining inquiry behavior, respondents indicated that lack of time with patients was an important factor in not inquiring about sexual function. As a whole, the group had minimal training in human sexuality. This questionnaire-based study found that amount of training was a significant predictor of both comfort level in discussing sexual functioning and the frequency in which discussions were initiated with patients. The results suggest that more training would facilitate MS health care professionals' comfort and assessment behaviors of sexual dysfunction. (Int J MS Care. 2003; 5: 37–38, 44–51)

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF HEALTH LITERACY IN PREDICTING PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH HEALTH CARE

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Vineta Silkane ◽  
Agnese Davidsone ◽  
Linda Veliverronena
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Technical Quality ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Prevention And Health Promotion

Patient satisfaction has become one of the central indicators to measure quality of provision of health care services. However, it has been made clear in previous literature that the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care services is not directly proportional to the satisfaction level, because an array of patient’s personal, psychological, and cognitive factors such as beliefs, expectations, knowledge and others may come into play. In this current article, we report on a study aiming to examine the role of health literacy in predicting patient satisfaction with health care in Latvia. In summer-autumn 2017, data were collected from a random sample of 451 participants (44 % male) in age from 18 to 81 years. The participants filled-in the questionnaire consisting of: Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-III, Ware, Snyder, & Wright, 1976) and European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q, HLS-EU Consortium, 2012). We measured four out of the seven aspects of PSQ, namely, general satisfaction, technical quality, interpersonal aspects, and communication. HLS-EU-Q contains three subscales: health care, disease prevention, and health promotion. Study results confirm that one of the health literacy aspects - health care - was the most important predictor of all patient satisfaction aspects, while health promotion predicted technical quality.  

scholarly journals Angioplasty Used to Treat Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Potential Revolution in Health Care Technology

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Andre Guerra
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Vascular Surgeon ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Care Technology ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
The University

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has long been labeled as a neurological disease with a high incidence among Canadians, women in particular. The disease first manifests itself in young adulthood (between the ages of 15 and 40 years). Areas of demyelination with a proliferation of astrocytes are found scattered in the white matter of MS patients, this leads to muscle weakness, numbness, disequilibrium, sphincter disturbance and other neurological dysfunctions. Recently Dr. Paolo Zamboni, a vascular surgeon at the University of Ferrara in Italy, found that many multiple sclerosis patients have a narrowing of some of the neck veins responsible for draining blood from the brain. According to Dr. Zamboni, this narrowing of the blood vessels leads to the deposit of iron in the defected veins, which restricts blood flow and is responsible for some of the MS complications. Dr. Zamboni achieved unblocking of the veins through angioplasty, a procedure normally used to open arteries affected by atherosclerosis. In one of his trials, 65 patients were given the procedure, which decreased the rate of occurrence of lesions, from 50% to 12% in patients. There was an improvement in mental and physical quality of life in most of the patients in this trial. Ethical questions are also discussed in this review. Dr. Zamboni`s studies suggest a genetic inheritance of factors that may lead to MS. Should health care providers institute a screening procedure in newborns? Would these screenings be mandatory? Would the screenings be free? 

scholarly journals HEALTH LITERACY AND HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION PATTERNS IN MIDDLE AGE ADULTS IN PAKISTAN

1969 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 821-826
Author(s):  
UMAR ALEEM ◽  
NOOR KHAN ◽  
ZAKRIA ZAKAR ◽  
ROBEENA ZAKAR ◽  
SHAMAILA
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Utilization ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Health Center ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Community Health Center ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Inadequate Health Literacy

OBJECTIVES: No practical and theoretical pattern for identifying health literacy and its utilizationpatterns exist. Health literacy is referring to the ability to read and perform numerical tasks'. Thisstudy’s objective was to recognize useful clinically questions that might be effective for theidentification of marginal and inadequate health literacy in adults.MATERIAL AND METHODS: In person interviews from a sample of n=332 middle age adults (28-40years) completed. A 5 point likert scale questionnaire include 16 literacy screening questionsadministered, followed by a validated health measure, the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy inAdults (STOHFLA). Grounded on the STOHFLA men were categorized as having inadequate,marginal, and adequate health literacy. Health care utilization pattern were identified in a separatequestionnaire through 10 close ended questions.RESULTS: Inadequate health literacy accounts for 42%, marginal health literacy 14% and adequatehealth literacy for 44% of the participants. 23% of the participants do not go to visit the hospital anddoctor in minor health related issues. 29% of the participants use over the counter drugs, and only 48%of the participants visit health facilities (Community Health Center, BHU, RHCs, THQ, DHQ) for theirhealth related issues.CONCLUSION:Health literacy and health care utilization are not so common in middle age adults inPakistan. The need of health literacy must be addressed in middle age adults, and it is possible when thehealth care facilities are fully utilized.KEYWORDS:Heallh Literacy, Healthcare Utilization, Community Health Center, Basic health Unit,Rural Health Center

scholarly journals Electronic tools to bridge the language gap in health care for migrants: Systematic review of the literature (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédérique Thonon ◽  
Swati Perrot ◽  
Abhijna Vithal Yergolkar ◽  
Olivia Rousset-Torrente ◽  
James W Griffith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
General Information ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Positive Results

BACKGROUND Migrants may face significant delays and barriers in accessing health care, especially those who do not speak fluently the language of the host country. Some applications (apps) or electronic tools have been specifically developed to be used in medical consultations to facilitate the dialogue between health care professionals and migrants with low language proficiency, as well as apps to promote health amongst migrants. OBJECTIVE We conducted a systematic review to examine the evidence related to the development, adaptation, acceptability and effectiveness of electronic tools designed to help health care providers communicate with, or promote health amongst, migrants having a low proficiency in the language of the country of origin and/or low health literacy. METHODS We conducted a search of three scientific publications databases: Pubmed, Scopus and Embase. The study selection was performed by two researchers independently. We collected data about: general information about the app, information about health literacy and cultural adaptation, information about the development of the app, evidence about the app’s acceptability/efficacy and information about the apps’ use. Data was collected by two researchers independently and results were compared for triangulation and synthesis. Results were reported according to the PRISMA checklist. RESULTS We included 61 articles presenting a total of 48 applications. About one third of them (N=16) were designed solely to facilitate the interaction between migrants and a health care provider during a consultation, while the remaining two thirds (N=32) were designed to promote health amongst migrants with a language barrier. Thirty-two applications (67%) had their acceptability evaluated. Amongst them, 78% reported an overall good or very good acceptability, 3% reported an adequate acceptability. Half of the applications had their efficacy evaluated. Amongst them, for 5 of them the study was ongoing (21%); half had significant positive results, with 12% having had partially positive results meaning that the application showed significant efficacy in some measured outcomes but not all; and 8% applications had non-significant results. CONCLUSIONS Overall the applications included had good levels of acceptability, while only half had their efficacy evaluated. In those evaluations, the endpoints used are mostly related to reported behavior change and knowledge improvement, which is common for evaluations of health promotion programs. In the future, it is inevitable that more health applications will be created. Thus, it is essential that applications that claim to have a public health objective undergo a rigorous evaluation of their acceptability, efficacy and actual use. Indicators of outcomes, such as changes in health status, or access to care should be reported in future studies, beyond only reported changes in behavior and knowledge. This systematic review has helped us note the characteristics associated with improved acceptability and efficacy, which can be helpful for the development of future applications.

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