Abstract
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.
Highlights
In early 2018, the National Action Plan on Health Literacy (NAP health literacy (HL), [1]) was published in Germany, stressing the importance of individual skills and abilities in searching, understanding, evaluating, and applying health-relevant information [1]
Descriptive results were based on the adapted version of the HLHO-10 questionnaire to the context of facilities for people with disabilities
With regard to the categories adapted from the HLHO-10 instrument, definitions and anchor examples of each main category and subcategory identified in the qualitative content analysis are presented in Table A1 (Appendix A)
Summary
In early 2018, the National Action Plan on Health Literacy (NAP HL, [1]) was published in Germany, stressing the importance of individual skills and abilities in searching, understanding, evaluating, and applying health-relevant information [1]. There are numerous definitions of health literacy (HL) [2,3]. Common to all attempts at defining the term HL is the assumption that HL is indispensable to maintaining and promoting one’s own health, to coping with and overcoming diseases, and to “navigating” through the health system [2]. Limited HL is negatively associated with health, health behavior, treatment, and care services in the event of disease [3]. It has been found that limited HL is related to more frequent hospital admissions and causes 3–5% of the costs in the health care system [4,5].
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