Abstract
ObjectiveAlthough a growing number of interventional studies on health literacy have been conducted recently, the majority were designed in clinical settings, focusing mainly on functional health literacy. This study evaluated a programme designed to improve health literacy in a community population, with a scope of going beyond functional health literacy.MethodsIn collaboration with an Approved Specified Nonprofit organization (NPO), we evaluated a five‐session programme designed to provide basic knowledge on health‐care policy and systems, current issues in health care in Japan, patient roles and relationships with health‐care providers and interpersonal skills. In total, 67 of 81 programme participants agreed to participate in the study, and 54 returned the completed questionnaires at baseline and at follow‐up. Health literacy and trust in the medical profession were measured at baseline and at follow‐up. Participants’ learning through the programme was qualitatively analysed by thematic analysis.ResultsQuantitative examinations of the changes in health literacy and degree of trust in medical professionals between the baseline and follow‐up suggested that health literacy significantly improved after implementing the programme. The thematic analysis of participants’ learning throughout the programme suggested that they not only acquired knowledge and skills but also experienced a shift in their beliefs and behaviours.DiscussionProviding individuals who are motivated to learn about health‐care systems and collaborate with health‐care providers with the necessary knowledge and skills may improve their health literacy, which could enable them to maintain and promote their health and that of their family and other people around them.
Highlights
Over the past few decades, health literacy has gained an increasing amount of attention as a factor related to various health behaviours and outcomes
Functional health literacy describes basic skills that are sufficient for individuals to obtain relevant health information and to be able to apply that knowledge to a range of prescribed activities
Critical health literacy describes the most advanced literacy skills that can be applied to critically analyse information from a wide range of sources and information related to a greater range of health determinants, as well as to use this information to exert greater control over life events and situations that impact their health
Summary
Over the past few decades, health literacy has gained an increasing amount of attention as a factor related to various health behaviours and outcomes. Health literacy represents “the cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health.”[1] It implies the achievement of a level of knowledge and confidence, as well as personal skills that allow action to be taken to improve personal and community health by changing personal lifestyles and living conditions These skills can be measured and vary from individual to individual. | 815 there have been few opportunities for the general public to acquire basic information concerning the health-care system, available health-care resources and skills to effectively interact with health- care providers These skills and abilities correspond to the higher level interactive and critical health literacy skills described above,[2] which better enable individuals to utilize health-care information and services, collaborate with health-care providers, and engage in healthy choices and behaviours within the context of the health-care systems in their society. We used a mixed method approach to examine changes in health literacy and trust in the medical profession before and after the programme, and explored what the participants had learned through the programme using thematic analysis
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