Dimensions Of Health Literacy Research Articles

Prevalence of Limited Health Literacy in the Philippines: First National Survey.

Background:Health literacy (HL) is the ability to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information across the three domains of the health continuum: health care, disease prevention, and health promotion. It is needed for people to effectively manage their health. Information on population HL level is useful for crafting appropriate and targeted interventions to improve HL.Objective:The aim of this study was to describe the HL level of Filipino people at the national and subnational levels.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted between 2018 and 2019 with 2,303 randomly selected Filipino people age 15 to 70 years, using an adapted Asia version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire-47. Prevalence estimates for limited HL and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed at the national and subnational levels.Key Results:The nationwide prevalence of limited HL was 51.5% (95% CI, [49.5%, 53.6%]), while sub-national prevalence estimates ranged from 48.2% to 65.4%. The prevalence varied across HL dimensions, with difficulty in access to information having the highest level. Similarly, prevalence across domains was variable; health care-related HL had the highest prevalence of limited HL. The HL levels for different dimensions and domains also varied across subnational groups.Conclusion:Many Filipino people had limited HL, and prevalence estimates varied across HL dimensions, HL domains, subnational groupings, and sociodemographic characteristics. The results highlight the need for targeted interventions focusing on subgroups with limited HL and on dimensions and domains where Filipino people have limited HL. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2022;6(2):e104–e112.]Plain Language Summary:The National Health Literacy Survey is the first nationwide survey on the prevalence of HL in the Philippines, involving 2,303 randomly selected Filipino residents age 15 to 70 years. Many Filipino people have limited HL, and the prevalence of HL varies across the components of HL, subnational groupings, and sociodemographic characteristics, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Parents of children with epilepsy: Characteristics associated with high and low levels of health literacy

Parents of children with epilepsy play a key role in the management of their child’s condition. Their level of health literacy (HL), which refers to their ability to seek, understand, assess, remember, and utilize health information, is essential for handling the child optimally. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics associated with high and low levels of different dimensions of HL in parents. HL was assessed with the multidimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire (parents’ version) and the electronic Health Literacy Scale, using data from a cohort of 254 parents of children <12 years. Bivariate correlation and multiple hierarchal linear regression (STATA version 16 SE) were used to investigate variables associated with HL. Self-efficacy (St. β = 0.14–0.34) was the only variable that predicted higher scores on every HL scale. Being older than 35 years (St. β = 0.18–0.21), level of education (St. β = 0.16–0.27), and the child having a coordinator of services (St. β = 0.16–0.28) were associated with higher scores, while sick leave due to the child’s epilepsy (St. β = −0.13 to −0.16), child comorbidities (St. β = −0.15 to −0.19), and higher levels of mental distress (St. β = −0.13 to −0.19) were associated with lower scores in several of the different HL dimensions. A total of 44.8% of the parents scored over the cutoff (≥1.85) predicting a mental disorder on the Hopkins symptom checklist. This is the first study to investigate multidimensional parental HL in a childhood epilepsy context. Our results highlight the need to investigate multiple variables, especially mental distress, to determine characteristics that may predict low parental HL. Further qualitative studies are needed to explore the underlying reasons for the parents’ HL scores and to develop inventions tailored to meet different HL needs.

Promoting health literacy through the teach back method among Iranian health ambassadors: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective.Describe the effect the teach back method on promoting the health literacy of health ambassadors in Urmia County in 2020.Methods.In the present quasi-experiment, 200 persons over 14 years old participated. They were divided into two research groups, a control (n=100) and an intervention (n=100). The sampling method was simple randomization and the data collection instrument was a questionnaire comprised of demographic information and health literacy (HELIA). The educational intervention took 4 sessions each 45 minutes in length following the teach back method. The questionnaire-based data were collected once before the intervention and once again three months after the intervention.Results.The present findings showed that 54% of the control group and 50% of the intervention group had a good or very good level of health literacy before the intervention(p>0.05). However, after the intervention, 52% of the control and 78% of the intervention group had a good or very good level of health literacy. The present findings revealed that the mean scores of health literacy dimensions (access to information, reading, understanding, appraisal, decision-making) and the overall health literacy score were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control (after the intervention). Wilcoxon’s test results showed that the mean difference of the overall health literacy scores and the dimensions before and after the intervention were statistically significant (p<0.001).Conclusion.In the light of the present findings, we can conclude that participatory methods and the teach back method can improve health literacy, acquire reliable information and adopt healthy behaviors.

Health literacy and health promoting behaviors among inpatient women during COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundOne of the leading health indicators during the COVID-19 crisis is health literacy and health-promoting behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate health literacy and health-promoting behaviors among women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic in the southern part of Iran in 2020.MethodsThis descriptive-analytical study encompassed 465 women hospitalized and treated in none teaching hospitals affiliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools were the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.ResultsThe mean scores of the participants’ "health literacy" and "health-promoting behaviors" were 64.41 ± 11.31 and 112.23 ± 16.09, respectively, indicating the poor level of health literacy and the average level of health-promoting behaviors. Moreover, there was a significant direct correlation between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors (P < 0.001, r = 0.471). Furthermore, all health literacy dimensions of comprehension (P < 0.001), accessibility (P < 0.001), reading skills (P < 0.001), evaluation (P = 0.002), and decision making and behavior (P = 0.003) were detected as the predictors of health-promoting behaviors. Further, statistically significant relationships were noticed between the mean score of health literacy with age (r = − 0.327, P = 0.007), level of education (F = 3.119, P = 0.002), and place of residence (t = 2.416, P = 0.004) and between health-promoting behaviors with level of education (F = 3.341, P = 0.001) and marital status (F = 2.868, P = 0.02).ConclusionAccording to the findings, health policymakers should adopt national measures for educational planning to promote health literacy and support health-promoting behaviors to encourage women to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Making Europe health literate: including older adults in sparsely populated Arctic areas

BackgroundOlder people have been identified as having lower health literacy (HL) than the general population average. Living in sparsely populated Arctic regions involves unique health challenges that may influence HL. The research aim was to explore the level of HL, its problematic dimensions, and its association with the selection of contextual factors among older adults living in sparsely populated areas in Northern Iceland.MethodThis was a cross-sectional study based on a stratified random sample from the national register of one urban town and two rural areas. The study included 175 participants (57.9% participation rate) who were community-dwelling (40% rural) and aged 65–92 years (M 74.2 ± SD 6.3), 43% of whom were women. Data were collected in 2017-2018 via face-to-face interviews, which included the standardised European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire-short version (HLS-EU-Q16) with a score range from 0 to 16 (low-high HL).ResultsThe level of HL ranged from 6–16 (M 13.25, SD ± 2.41) with 65% having sufficient HL (score 13–16), 31.3% problematic HL (score 9–12) and 3.7% inadequate HL (score 0–8). Most problematic dimension of HL was within the domains of disease prevention and health promotion related to information in the media. Univariate linear regression revealed that better HL was associated with more education (p=0.001), more resiliency (p=0.001), driving a car (p=0.006), good access to health care- (p=0.005) and medical service (p=0.027), younger age (p=0.005), adequate income (p=0.044) and less depression (p=0.006). Multivariable analysis showed that more education (p=0.014) and driving a car (p=0.017) were independent predictors of better HL.ConclusionDifficulties in HL concern information in the media. HL was strongly associated with education and driving a car however, not with urban-rural residency. Mobility and access should be considered for improving HL of older people.

Building a Health Literacy Indicator from Angola Demographic and Health Survey in 2015/2016.

Health literacy is a determinant factor for population health. It is important both for the prevention of health problems and the better management of those problems and unexpected situations that happen. Low health literacy has been consistently associated with poor health outcomes. This study aimed to develop a health literacy indicator for Angola and to analyze pertinent demographic characteristics related to it. Data were obtained from the first Angola Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2015/16; we included 10 questions related to the American National Academy of Medicine definition of health literacy. Using factor analysis, we extracted one i indicator corresponding to four dimensions of health literacy. The indicator was dichotomized, and we used Logistic Regression to estimate factors associated with health literacy level: we obtained data from 19,785 adolescents and adults, aged 15–49 years. The internal consistency of the i indicator was reliable (Cronbach’s α = 0.83). Adjusting for other variables, males with complete secondary education or above and living in urban areas were more likely to have a high level of health literacy. There were substantial differences between the 18 regions. This is the first study evaluating health literacy in Angola using the American National Academy of Medicine definition and a Demographic and Health survey. Our study shows unfavorable results for women, individuals living in rural areas and those less educated.

Environmental Health Literacy as Knowing, Feeling, and Believing: Analyzing Linkages between Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status and Willingness to Engage in Protective Behaviors against Health Threats.

This study investigates the relationships between environmental health literacy, the characteristics of people (race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) associated with health disparities, and people’s willingness to engage in protective behaviors against environmental health threats. Environmental health literacy is a framework for capturing the continuum between the knowledge of environmental impacts on public health, and the skills and decisions needed to take health-protective actions. We pay particular attention to three dimensions of environmental health literacy: factual knowledge (knowing the facts), knowledge sufficiency (feeling ready to decide what to do), and response efficacy (believing that protective behaviors work). In June 2020, we collected survey data from North Carolina residents on two topics: the viral infection COVID-19 and industrial contaminants called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). We used their responses to test stepwise regression models with willingness to engage in protective behaviors as a dependent variable and other characteristics as independent variables, including environmental health literacy. For both topics, our results indicated that no disparities emerged according to socioeconomic factors (level of education, household income, or renting one’s residence). We observed disparities in willingness according to race, comparing Black to White participants, but not when comparing White to American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander participants nor Hispanic to non-Hispanic participants. The disparities in willingness between Black and White participants persisted until we introduced the variables of environmental health literacy, when the difference between these groups was no longer significant in the final regression models. The findings suggest that focusing on environmental health literacy could bridge a gap in willingness to protect oneself based on factors such as race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, which have been identified in the environmental health literature as resulting in health disparities.

Searching for an alliance with journalism: a survey to investigate health literacy in Italy.

This study (GLASS) aimed to explore low health literacy (HL) prevalence among journalists and general population and factors associated with low HL. GLASS was an Italian online cross-sectional study. Questionnaires included instruments for different HL dimensions: single item literacy screener (SILS), medical term recognition test (METER), medical data interpretation test (MDIT). For each instrument, multiple regressions were performed. Participants were 665. A total of 24.6%, 85.0%, and 58.9% journalists and 19.5%, 77.8%, and 62.6% general population reported low HL (SILS, METER, MDIT, respectively). Regressions showed that journalists who had never written about health and journalists who had personally written about health without being health journalists had a higher likelihood of low HL compared with health journalists. Since journalists are key players in public health, our findings are relevant; especially considering the context of the current pandemic. It would be advisable to bolster a stronger collaboration between professionals in the media world and the scientific community.

Literacia em Saúde e Autocuidados

Nowadays, we often hear the term Health Literacy (HL). We are of the opinion that this term is used interchangeably, sometimes referring to knowledge, information, sometimes referring to attitudes, sometimes referring to training. Therefore, this theme has attracted our attention over the last decade and, as a result of this reflection, resulted in the work Literacy in Health and Self-Care: evidence that project clinical practice (Galvão et al., 2021). The concept of HL is multidimensional, we find a range of definitions which add specific aspects of HL. In this opinion scientific article, we selected definitions and concepts about HL and self-care, we identified the dimensions of HL and assessment methods. We also identify documents available in Portugal that aim to promote it. Based on the evidence, we found that the promotion of HL in the Portuguese population is effectively a priority throughout the various stages of life's trajectory, both in terms of health promotion and self-care in any age group, and consequently in terms of disease prevention. : obesity; cerebrovascular diseases; type II diabetes; mental disorders; dementias; cancer diseases; etc. HL training is based on behavioral changes, so the strategies will have to be focused on tools that enhance human functioning, achieved through the improvement of cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral self-regulation. The European agenda for health highlights HL as a priority, considering the need for the joint involvement of citizens, communities, organizations and health policies.

Health literacy education programmes developed for qualified health professionals: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Health literacy education, for health professionals, has been identified as having the potential to improve patient outcomes and has been recognized as such in policy developments. Health literacy, as a relational concept, encompasses individuals' skills and how health information is processed in relation to the demands and complexities of the surrounding environment. Focus has been predominantly on the dimension of functional health literacy (reading, writing and numeracy), although increasing emphasis has been placed on interactive and critical domains. Such dimensions often guide the development of health professional education programmes, where the aim is to enhance the patient-practitioner relationship, and ultimately reduce the health literacy burden experienced by patients navigating health services. Currently little is known about qualified health professionals' education in health literacy and communication skills, and development, implementation or evaluation of such interventions. Aim: To identify and map current educational interventions to improve health literacy competencies and communication skills of qualified health professionals. Methods: A scoping review will be conducted drawing on methods and guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute, and will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. This study will retrieve literature on health professional education for health literacy and communication skills through a comprehensive search strategy in the following databases: CINAHL; Medline (Ovid); the Cochrane Library; EMBASE; ERIC; UpToDate; PsycINFO. Grey literature will be searched within the references of identified articles; Lenus; ProQuest E-Thesis Portal; RIAN and OpenGrey. A data charting form will be developed with categories including: article details, demographics, intervention details, implementation and evaluation methods. Conclusion: Little is known about the extent and nature of the current evidence base therefore a scoping review will be conducted, in order to identify programme characteristics in relation to health literacy competencies and communication skills.

Different dimensions of oral health literacy are associated with social determinants of health in Brazilian adults.

Social determinants of health (SDH) are strongly associated with oral health outcomes, and oral health literacy (OHL) is a potential factor that can modify this association. This study evaluated the association between SDH and OHL, including functional and interactive dimensions of OHL. The cross sectional study was conducted with 354 adults recruited from public dental clinics in southern Brazil. Functional OHL was measured using the Brazilian version of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30) and the Health Literacy Dental Scale (HeLD-14), for the evaluation of interactional OHL. SDH was evaluated through a structured questionnaire, and economic class was determined based on the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria. The statistical analysis involved bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression with robust variance (α=0.05) to estimate rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Among the 354 participants, 284 (80.2%) were women and the mean age was 22.9 ± 4.9 years. The median BREALD-30 score was 24 (1st/3rd quintile: 20/27) and the median HeLD-14 score was 45 (1st/3rd quintile: 37/50). Most participants had up to eight years of schooling (71.5%) and belonged to the "C" Economic Class or lower (94.1%). The multiple regression analysis showed that schooling and economic class were associated with the BREALD-30 and HeLD-14 scores, income and age were associated with the HeLD-14 score, and marital status and occupation were associated with the BREALD-30 score. Different dimensions of OHL were associated with SDH in Brazilian adults. This aspect should be incorporated into strategies for improving OHL levels in individuals or populations.

The status of sexual health literacy in Iranian women: A cross-sectional study

Context: Promoting of women's sexual health literacy depended to the study of this variable. This study aimed to determine the status of women's sexual health literacy and its dimensions.Setting and Design: This cross-sectional study conducted in health centers in Amol, Iran, from July to September 2019.Materials and Methods: A total of 400 women of reproductive age who registered with Iran's integrated health record system selected via two-stage sampling technique. The Sexual Health Literacy for Adults questionnaire consists of 40 items regarding four dimensions of access, reading and understanding, analysis, and appraisal, and application was used to collect data.Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed in SPSS version 16 using the descriptive and Friedman test with significance level of (P < 0.05).Results: According to the results, 23.3% of the participants had insufficient sexual health literacy. The highest mean score of sexual literacy was related to reading and understanding, whereas the lowest score was related to the application dimension. There was a significant difference in the mean scores of various dimensions of sexual health literacy (P < 0.001). The mean rank of scores was lower for the application dimension in all age groups, education (except primary and secondary levels), and participation in training courses (P < 0.001).Conclusions: Approximately one-fourth of the research sample had insufficient sexual health literacy, with their lowest score being related to the application dimension. Further studies should be designed to better perceive the application dimension of sexual health literacy and its effective factors.

Health literacy education programmes developed for qualified health professionals: a scoping review protocol

Introduction: Health literacy education, for health professionals, has been identified as having the potential to improve patient outcomes and has been recognized as such in policy developments. Health literacy, as a relational concept, encompasses individuals’ skills and how health information is processed in relation to the demands and complexities of the surrounding environment. Focus has been predominantly on the dimension of functional health literacy (reading, writing and numeracy), although increasing emphasis has been placed on interactive and critical domains. Such dimensions often guide the development of health professional education programmes, where the aim is to enhance the patient-practitioner relationship, and ultimately reduce the health literacy burden experienced by patients navigating health services. Currently little is known about qualified health professionals’ education in health literacy and communication skills, and development, implementation or evaluation of such interventions. Aim: To identify and map current educational interventions to improve health literacy competencies and communication skills of qualified health professionals. Methods: A scoping review will be conducted drawing on methods and guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute, and will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. This study will retrieve literature on health professional education for health literacy and communication skills through a comprehensive search strategy in the following databases: CINAHL; Medline (Ovid); the Cochrane Library; EMBASE; ERIC; UpToDate; PsycINFO. Grey literature will be searched within the references of identified articles; Lenus; ProQuest E-Thesis Portal; RIAN and OpenGrey. A data charting form will be developed with categories including: article details, demographics, intervention details, implementation and evaluation methods. Conclusion: Little is known about the extent and nature of the current evidence base therefore a scoping review will be conducted, in order to identify programme characteristics in relation to health literacy competencies and communication skills.

Communication Dimensions of Healthcare Engagement and Patient Health Literacy for Immigrant Populations: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Health literacy is an important social determinant of health. Achieving health literacy of immigrants can be critical to empower this disadvantaged population in healthcare communication. However, to achieve this goal, it is a prerequisite to examine the relationship between health literacy and patient engagement in healthcare communication. This systematic review conceptualizes behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions of patient engagement in healthcare communication and examines how health literacy and patient engagement among immigrants shape each other. A systematic review was conducted to identify relevant articles from five databases between 2010 and 2020. The reviewers synthesized findings from 15 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate that communication researchers should be more attentive to the emotional dimension of patient engagement in healthcare communication and that more empirical studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between health literacy and patient engagement among immigrants. Practical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Readability and Comprehension of Printed Patient Education Materials.

Background: Health literacy, a recently determined construct plays an important role in how individuals are able to manage their health. A useful approach for the assessment of health literacy is to measure the comprehension of available patient education materials (PEMs).Objective: We aimed at assessing the usefulness of PEMS available in Hungarian by testing comprehension of selected PEMs in different groups of users.Methods: Comprehension of patient education materials in the domain of healthcare was tested by selecting PEMs and creating questions based on their text in 3 dimensions of health literacy: understand, process/appraise, apply/use. Twenty questions were created that could be answered without pre-existing knowledge by reading the appropriate text taken from PEMs. Comprehension was examined in four groups: laypersons, non-professional healthcare workers, 1st year healthcare students, and 5th year medical students. Readability indices were calculated for the same texts to which questions were created.Results: Laypersons answered <50% of the PEMs-based questions correctly. Non-professional healthcare workers performed better with 57% of right answers but significantly worse than healthcare students or medical students. Those with at least high school qualification (maturity exam) showed significantly higher comprehension compared to those with lower educational attainment. Persons in good or very good health also had significantly better comprehension than those in less favorable health. All readability indices showed that comprehension of the tested PEMs required at least 10 years of schooling or more. Therefore, these PEMS are difficult to understand for persons with less than high school level of education.Conclusion: Rephrasing of the investigated patient educational materials would be recommended so that they better fit the educational attainment of the Hungarian population. Evaluation of the readability and comprehensibility of other PEMs also seems warranted.

Organizational Health Literacy in a Hospital-Insights on the Patients' Perspective.

Health literacy-sensitive communication has been found to be an important dimension of organizational health literacy measured from the patients’ perspective. Little is known about the role of health literacy-sensitive communication in complex care structures. Therefore, our aim was to assess which hospital characteristics (in terms of process organization) and patient characteristics (e.g., age, chronic illness, etc.) contribute to better perceptions of health literacy-sensitive communication, as well as whether better health literacy-sensitive communication is associated with better patient reported experiences. Data were derived from a patient survey conducted in 2020 in four clinical departments of a university hospital in Germany. Health literacy-sensitive communication was measured with the HL-COM scale. Data from 209 patients (response rate 24.2%) were analyzed with a structural equation model (SEM). Results revealed that no patient characteristics were associated with HL-COM scores. Better process organization as perceived by patients was associated with significantly better HL-COM scores, and, in turn, better HL-COM scores were associated with more patient-reported social support provided by physicians and nurses as well as fewer unmet information needs. Investing into good process organization might improve health literacy-sensitive communication, which in turn has the potential to foster the patient–provider relationship as well as to reduce unmet information needs of patients.

Factors associated with patient activation in inflammatory arthritis: a multisite cross-sectional study.

ObjectivesPatient activation covers the skills, abilities and behaviour that impact how able and willing someone is to take an active role in self-managing their health. This study explored clinical and psychosocial factors associated with patient activation in rheumatology patients.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study using postal survey methods. Participants with inflammatory rheumatic conditions were from six rheumatology centres in England. Patient activation was captured using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM). Twenty-nine explanatory factors were tested for potential association with patient activation in univariable and multivariable analyses. In preliminary multivariable analyses, factors found to have an association with patient activation at a P < 0.1 level were entered into the final multivariable model. Those that remained significant at a P < 0.05 level were considered associated with patient activation.ResultsThe sample comprised 251 participants (74% female) with a mean age of 59.31 years (s.d. 12.69), disease duration of 14.48 years (s.d. 12.52) and a PAM score of 58.3 (s.d. 11.46). Of the 29 candidate factors, 25 were entered into a preliminary multivariable analysis. In the final multivariable analysis, four factors (self-efficacy, the illness belief that treatment will control participants’ condition and two dimensions of health literacy) were significantly associated with patient activation. This final model accounted for 40.4% of the variance in PAM scores [F(4, 246) = 41.66, P < 0.001].ConclusionsPatient activation is important in managing rheumatic conditions. Our data confirm that self-efficacy and health literacy are particular targets for patient activation interventions.

Validity and reliability of the Swedish Functional Health Literacy scale and the Swedish Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale in patients undergoing bariatric surgery in Sweden: a prospective psychometric evaluation study

ObjectivesThe aim was to psychometrically test and evaluate the Swedish functional health literacy scale and the Swedish communicative and critical health literacy scale in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.DesignA prospective cross-sectional...

Policy recommendations for improving health literacy: based on European Health Literacy Survey 2019

Abstract The European network on Measuring Population and Organizational Health Literacy (M-POHL) was founded in 2018 under the umbrella of the European Health Information Initiative (EHII) of the World Health Organization - Regional Office for Europe. Health literacy (HL) is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant, mediator or moderator of health, and large parts of populations have been shown to have limited HL. Therefore, it is one of the aims of M-POHL to install international comparative population HL surveys at regular intervals. These can provide a valuable and valid basis for developing evidence-informed recommendations for policy, research and practice in the field of HL. To meet this purpose, M-POHL brings together experts from research and policy. Following up on the first European HL survey (HLS-EU), the first project of M-POHL was the international HLS19 survey, with 17 participating countries from the WHO European region. In addition to general population HL, the survey also covered specific HL's such as digital, communication, navigation, and vaccination HL. Despite the obstacles posed by the Corona pandemic, the survey could be administered, and an international comparative report was prepared by the HLS19 project consortium. On this basis, M-POHL will hold two workshops in June and August 2021 to develop resulting recommendations for policy and research in Europe. It is expected that these recommendations will a. o. focus on: population groups in most need of support in their HL; how to improve different dimensions of HL (such as finding, understanding, assessing, and applying relevant health information); HL as applied to health care, disease prevention, and health promotion; and aspects relating to the specific HL's measured. The presentation will describe the process of development, and give an overview of the M-POHL recommendations.

Validation of health literacy questionnaires in Hungarian adult sample

Accessing health information adapted to one's health literacy level is a prerequisite for effective healing, rehabilitation, health education, and health promotion. This research aimed to validate the Hungarian version of two instruments measuring health literacy: the performance-based Newest Vital Sign and the self-reported Brief Health Literacy Screening Tool. These short instruments, which are frequently used in international surveys, can be applied to measure health literacy among the general population. The two instruments were tested in a nationwide cross-sectional study in the general population. The questionnaires' reliability and validity were evaluated using Cronbach-α, Spearman-Brown, corrected item-total correlation coefficients, and exploratory factor analysis (principal components analysis, varimax rotation). The internal consistency measured by the Cronbach-α was 0.72 for the Newest Vital Sign and 0.87 for the Brief Health Literacy Screening Tool, and the split-half reliabilities calculated with the Spearman-Brown correlation were 0.76 and 0.88, respectively. The correlation coefficients obtained during the item-total correlation analysis proved to be higher than the expected 0.3 value in all cases. Exploring the factor structure revealed that the two tests measure different dimensions of health literacy. Both tests proved to be reliable; the internal validity of the Brief Health Literacy Screening Tool is higher than that of the original questionnaire. Based on the factor analysis, their application is possible together if the goal is to examine subjective and objective health literacy together. Using the validated Hungarian version of these questionnaires is recommended as part of health literacy surveys conducted by interviewers. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(39): 1579-1588.