Literacy Domains Research Articles

Financial Literacy in India: A Review of Literature

Abstract The paper aims to understand various concepts and dimensions of financial literacy by using literature-based analysis. The reviews included various parameters, such as the financial literacy of young people, employees, women and college students, and the impact of financial literacy on well-being and investment decisions. Secondary information was gathered from many publications, websites, research papers, and articles. In the context of India, there is still much work to be done in the domain of financial literacy. Numerous studies have revealed low levels of financial literacy among India’s different demographic segments and some studies have revealed moderate levels. Financial literacy is a difficult topic to describe and quantify. The definition and measurement of this idea are the focus of numerous investigations. Policy changes must be made to improve financial literacy at both the fundamental and advanced levels so that people can save and invest money more sensibly in the various market opportunities.

Exploring the relationships between health literacy, social support, self-efficacy and self-management in adults with multiple chronic diseases

BackgroundSelf-management in chronic diseases is essential to slowing disease progression and preventing complications. However, empirical research on the associations of critical factors, such as health literacy, social support, and self-efficacy with self-management in the context of multiple chronic diseases is scarce. This study aimed to investigate these associations and provides insights for healthcare providers to develop effective educational strategies for people with multiple chronic diseases.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional survey design, adults (n = 600) diagnosed with at least two chronic diseases were conveniently recruited. To measure health literacy, social support, self-efficacy, and chronic disease self-management behaviours, the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ), Medical Outcome Study - Social Support Survey, Self-efficacy in Managing Chronic Disease, and Self-management in Chronic Diseases instruments were utilized respectively. Comorbidity status was assessed using Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI). A generalised linear regression model was used with a backward technique to identify variables associated with self-management.ResultsParticipants’ mean age was 61 years (SD = 15.3), 46% were female, and most had up to 12 years of education (82.3%). Mean scores for HLQ domains 1–5 varied from 2.61 to 3.24 (possible score 1–4); domains 6–9 from 3.29 to 3.65 (possible score 1–5). The mean scores were 52.7 (SD = 10.4, possible score 0–95), 5.46 (SD = 1.9, possible score 0–10) and 82.1 (SD = 12.4, possible score 30–120) for social support, self-efficacy, and self-management, respectively. Mean ACCI was 6.7 (SD = 2.1). Eight factors (age > 65 years, being female, 4 health literacy domains, greater social support, and higher self-efficacy levels) were significantly associated with greater self-management behaviours while comorbidity status was not. The factors that showed the strongest associations with self-management were critical health literacy domains: appraisal of health information, social support for health, and healthcare provider support.ConclusionsDeveloping critical health literacy abilities is a more effective way to enhance self-management behaviours than relying solely on self-confidence or social support, especially for people with multiple chronic diseases. By facilitating communication and patient education, healthcare providers can help patients improve their critical health literacy, which in turn can enhance their self-management behaviours.

Examining Health Literacy in Taiwanese Smoking Cessation Populations: A Multidimensional Evaluation of Sociodemographic Factors and Domain-Specific Competencies.

Cigarette smoking is a serious global health issue. Limited studies previously analyzed health literacy components in patients undergoing smoking cessation interventions. This study focuses on individuals enrolled in smoking cessation services and investigates the distribution of health literacy in three domains (health care, disease prevention, and health promotion) and four abilities (access, understand, appraise, and apply health information). The study also explores the correlation between background factors (age, BMI, etc.) and health literacy, as well as the differences in health literacy levels among different background variables (gender, etc.). 228 individuals completed the health literacy questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson Correlation, and a Chi-Squared Test were employed to investigate the various health literacy levels and background variables. 68% had excellent or sufficient health literacy. A total of 32% were considered problematic or to have inadequate health literacy. Of the three domains of health literacy, participants performed better in the healthcare domain. More than one-third were problematic in accessing and appraising information. this paper, being the pilot study in providing an analysis of health literacy components in individuals undergoing smoking cessation, could serve as a useful reference for devising interventions for different population groups in trying to maximize successful cessation rates.

Health literacy and older adults: Findings from a national population-based survey.

With an ageing population and growing complexity and fragmentation of health care systems, health literacy is increasingly important in managing health. This study investigated health literacy strengths and challenges reported by older Australians (people aged 65 or over) and identified how socio-demographic and health factors related to their health literacy profiles. The sample comprised 1578 individuals responding to the Australian Government's 2018 Health Literacy Survey, conducted between January and August. Regression modelling was used to estimate the association between each of nine domains of the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) and individual socio-demographic and health characteristics. The model allowed for correlation between HLQ scores that was linked to unobserved characteristics of individuals. Across the health literacy domains, few individuals received mean scores in the lowest score range. Key individual characteristics associated with higher health literacy were increasing age, English proficiency, higher education levels, better self-assessed health and having certain chronic conditions (cancer, hypertension and arthritis). Our findings suggest that, among those aged 65 or over, being older or living with chronic illnesses were associated with greater confidence in engaging with providers, accessing information and navigating health services compared to individuals aged 65-69 and those older individuals without chronic illness. Lower health literacy was associated with psychological distress and low English proficiency. SO WHAT?: Interventions to improve individual health literacy and organisation health literacy responsiveness to minimise complexity of the Australian health system are required. This may enhance uptake and use of health information and services for the underserviced members of the community.

#3102 LIMITED PHARMACEUTICAL LITERACY IN PATIENTS ON HEMODIALYSIS IN THE NETHERLANDS AS ASSESSED WITH THE RALPH INTERVIEW GUIDE

Abstract Background and Aims Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease typically use 15 or more different drugs. Proper use of these drugs requires sufficient pharmaceutical literacy, which is defined as health literacy in the context of medication use. Until now, no data are available on the prevalence of limited pharmaceutical literacy in patients with CKD or on hemodialysis. Recently, the RALPH (Recognizing and Addressing Limited Pharmaceutical Literacy) interview guide was developed in the Netherlands to assess pharmaceutical literacy skills. The current study aims to provide data on the prevalence of limited pharmaceutical literacy, associated problems, and the domains in which these problems occur, in hemodialysis patients using phosphate-binding drugs in the Netherlands. Method This study was part of a prospective observational study in a teaching hospital in Rotterdam, investigating a complex adherence-improving intervention in hemodialysis patients using phosphate-binding drugs. One of the aims of the original study was to explore pharmaceutical literacy at baseline, using the RALPH interview guide. The RALPH consists of eleven multiple-choice questions and several open-ended questions in three health literacy domains. The functional domain assesses the basic skills of reading, writing, and calculating. The communicative domain assesses more advanced skills, namely finding and understanding information and applying this information to the own situation. The critical domain assesses the even more advanced skills of critically analyzing information and applying this information to different situations. Limited pharmaceutical literacy was defined as the presence of at least one problem in one or more of the domains of the RALPH. The primary outcome was the prevalence of limited pharmaceutical literacy. Secondary outcomes were the prevalence of one or more problems in the domains. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (SPSS version 28.0). Results A total of 63 patients were included in the study. Mean age was 66 years, 65% were male. The main primary renal diagnoses were hypertensive nephropathy (31%) and diabetic nephropathy (19.1%). Seventy-three percent of patients received their drugs in a weekly drug dispensing system. The prevalence of limited pharmaceutical literacy was 79%. Fifty-two percent of patients had at least one problem in the communicative domain, 46% in the functional domain, and 78% in the critical domain. Around 90% of patients could correctly reproduce user instructions for phosphate-binding drugs. The most prevalent problems were lack of knowledge about the indication (40%) in the functional domain and finding understandable information (51%) in the communicative domain. In the critical domain, the most frequently encountered problems were a lack of adequate judgment of both reliability and applicability of information (62% and 65%, respectively). Almost half of the patients did not search for information. Furthermore, 32% of patients did not engage in shared-decision making or found this difficult to do. Reasons for this were a profound trust in the nephrologist and the patient's conviction that the nephrologist knew what was best. Conclusion Limited pharmaceutical literacy is frequent in patients on hemodialysis: the majority of patients have problems with finding understandable information and judging its applicability and reliability. The results of this study are in line with earlier findings studying pharmaceutical literacy in Dutch community pharmacies in the Netherlands. However, the current study found slightly higher percentages for problems with finding understandable information and judging the applicability of information. This was expected, as our population generally uses more drugs and has a more vulnerable health status. Recent data show that limited health literacy in general negatively affects certain aspects of self-management, such as adherence, communication, and knowledge. This is also apparent in our study. These data together underline the need for dialysis healthcare providers to individualize their communication and support to meet their patients’ needs.

Impact of an outdoor loose parts play intervention on Nova Scotian preschoolers’ physical literacy: a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPhysical activity participation among preschoolers in childcare settings are low, and interventions to increase physical activity levels have produced mixed results. The Physical Literacy in the Early Years (PLEY) project implemented a six-month childcare-based outdoor loose parts play intervention in childcare centres in Nova Scotia, Canada. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the PLEY project on the development of domains of physical literacy (physical activity, physical competence, confidence and motivation, knowledge and understanding) in preschoolers attending childcare centres using mixed-methods.MethodsPreschoolers (3–5 years) were recruited from 19 childcare centres in Nova Scotia and centres were randomized (parallel design) to the outdoor loose parts play intervention group (n = 11) or control (n = 8) group for 6 months. Participants, early childhood educators, and assessors were not blinded to group assignment. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to comprehensively assess the impact of the PLEY project on all domains of physical literacy. At 3- and 6-months, early childhood educators participated in focus groups to assess how the intervention supported the development of 4 physical literacy domains: physical activity, physical competence, confidence and motivation, and knowledge and understanding. Physical activity and physical competence were also assessed with accelerometry and the Test of Gross Motor Development-3, respectively.ResultsTwo hundred and nine preschoolers participated in the study (intervention group: n = 115; control group: n = 94). Accelerometer data showed that while baseline physical activity was similar between groups, children in the intervention group had higher physical activity at 3- (F(1,187) = 8.30, p = 0.004) and 6-months (F(1,187) = 9.90, p = 0.002) post-intervention. There was no intervention effect on physical competence scores. Thematic analysis of focus group data revealed that outdoor loose parts play contributed to development in all 4 physical literacy domains, including increased movement repertoires, social development, and enjoyment of physical activity. No adverse events or side effects of the intervention were reported.ConclusionsParticipation in the PLEY project was associated with increased development of various domains of physical literacy and perceived physical literacy among preschoolers, and outdoor loose parts play may be encouraged as an effective strategy to increase physical literacy in early learning settings.Trial registrationBiomed Central (ISRCTN14058106), 20/10/2017.

Physical and Affective Physical Literacy Domains Improved After a Six-Week Exergame Exercise Program in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Introduction: We investigated the effects of an exergames-based exercise program for older adults, and its benefits on their physical literacy (PL) domains, such as physical (mobility skills), affective (motivation and confidence), cognitive (knowledge about physical activity [PA]), and behavioral (daily exertion) when compared with a conventional exercise program and no training (NT) (control). Material and Methods: Forty older adults (mean age 72 years) volunteered and were randomized within three groups-exergame training (ET; n = 15), conventional training (CT; n = 14), and NT (n = 11). ET group performed training sessions based on a commercially available exergame console, while the CT group enrolled in a convention exercise program (aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises). The training program was conducted three times a week for 6 weeks. The Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Exercise Confidence Survey (ECS), Motives for Physical Activity Measure-Revised (MPAM-R), Knowledge and Understanding Questionnaire (K&UQ), and total PA tracking (using wearable technology) were used as the study's outcomes. Outcome variables were measured at preintervention (week 0), postintervention (week 6), and at the time of final follow-up (week 9). Results: We observed a reduction in the ET TUG time at postintervention and follow-up. Also, a significant main effect for group and moment of measurement was observed for the Fitness-Health subscore, derived from MPAM-R. The values demonstrated by ET and CT were statistically different (P = 0.01) and a within-group comparison revealed significant differences in the ET from preintervention to both postintervention and follow-up (both, P = 0.01). We did not observe any other significant difference. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a 6-week exergame-based training program may have the potential in improving the physical and affective domains of PL in community-dwelling older adults. The topics related to fitness and health seem to be of interest in this population and programs can make use of them to improve the PL domains.

Development of the Malay Language of understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy questionnaire on COVID-19 (MUAPHQ C-19): content validity & face validity analysis

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the content and face validity index of the development of the understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy questionnaire on COVID-19 (MUAPHQ C-19) in the Malay language.MethodsThe development of the MUAPHQ C-19 was conducted in two stages. Stage I resulted in the generation of the instrument’s items (development), and stage II resulted in the performance of the instrument’s items (judgement and quantification). Six-panel experts related to the study field and ten general public participated to evaluate the validity of the MUAPHQ C-19. The content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR) and face validity index (FVI) were analysed using Microsoft Excel.ResultsThere were 54 items and four domains, namely the understanding, attitude, practice and health literacy towards COVID-19, identified in the MUAPHQ C-19 (Version 1.0). The scale-level CVI (S-CVI/Ave) for every domain was above 0.9, which is considered acceptable. The CVR for all items was above 0.7, except for one item in the health literacy domain. Ten items were revised to improve the item’s clarity, and two items were deleted due to the low CVR value and redundancy, respectively. The I-FVI exceeded the cut-off value of 0.83 except for five items from the attitude domain and four from the practice domains. Thus, seven of these items were revised to increase the clarity of items, while another two were deleted due to low I-FVI scores. Otherwise, the S-FVI/Ave for every domain exceeded the cut-off point of 0.9, which is considered acceptable. Thus, 50-item MUAPHQ C-19 (Version 3.0) was generated following the content and face validity analysis.ConclusionsThe questionnaire development, content validity, and face validity process are lengthy and iterative. The assessment of the instruments’ items by the content experts and the respondents is essential to guarantee the instrument’s validity. Our content and face validity study has finalised the MUAPHQ C-19 version that is ready for the next phase of questionnaire validation, using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Recognizing And Addressing Limited Pharmaceutical Literacy (RALPH) interview guide in community pharmacies.

The RALPH (Recognizing and Addressing Limited PHarmaceutical Literacy) interview guide makes it possible to identify patients with limited pharmaceutical knowledge and to assess their skills in the functional, communicative, and critical health literacy domains. (s): To perform a cross-cultural validation of the RALPH interview guide in Spanish population; to conduct a descriptive analysis based on patients' responses. A cross-sectional study of patients' pharmaceutical literacy skills was conducted in three stages: systematic translation, administration of the interview and analysis of psychometric properties. The target population included adult patients (≥18 years) who attend one of the participating community pharmacies in Barcelona (Spain). Content validity was evaluated by an expert committee. Viability was assessed in the pilot test, and reliability was assessed using internal consistency and intertemporal stability. Construct validity was assessed by factor analysis. A total of 103 patients were interviewed at 20 pharmacies. Cronbach's alpha values based on standardized items ranged between 0.720 and 0.764. For the longitudinal component, the ICC test-retest reliability was 0.924. The factor analysis was verified by KMO (0.619) and Bartlett's test of sphericity (P-value <0.05). The definitive RALPH guide translated into Spanish maintains the same structure as the original. Some expressions were simplified, and the questions on the comprehension of warnings or specific instructions for use, contradictory information and shared decision-making were reformulated. Pharmaceutical literacy skills were seen to be most limited with regard to the critical domain. The responses of the Spanish patients were in agreement with the original results of the RALPH interview guide. The RALPH interview guide in Spanish complies with the requirements viability, validity, and reliability. This tool may be able to identify the low pharmaceutical literacy skills of patients coming to community pharmacies in Spain, and its use may also be extended to other Spanish-speaking countries.

Program evaluation of a virtual physical activity program for individuals with disabilities.

Regular physical activity is important for positive health outcomes yet, most individuals do not meet physical activity guidelines. Recent studies show that one in five Canadians aged 15 or older have one or more disabilities, yet as a population, individuals with disabilities are 16%-62% less likely to meet physical activity guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic created additional barriers to physical activity participation as lockdowns prevented in-person programming. In response to the pandemic, the Acadia University Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) Program shifted its programming to a virtual platform; however, there was little research to guide its creation, implementation, or expected outcomes. Thus, this program evaluation explored program feasibility and impact on physical activity and physical literacy. A mixed methods case study approach was used for this project. Virtual S.M.I.L.E. took place over eight weeks in the fall of 2020. Programming consisted of three live Zoom sessions facilitated by trained program leaders, and eight weeks of at-home activity guides for participants to complete on their own time. Demographic data, physical literacy (PLAYself), and physical activity (IPAQ-A) data were collected using caregiver pre-and post-programming surveys. Throughout programming, weekly check-in surveys were sent to reflect on the previous week of programming. After the eight weeks of programming were complete, caregiver and leader interviews were conducted to understand both program implementation and performance perspectives. Results indicated that participants' (N = 15, Mage = 20.4 years) overall physical literacy and physical activity did not change; however, there was a decrease in the cognitive domain of physical literacy (p = 0.03). Caregiver and leader interviews highlighted five main themes following the virtual programming: (a) Virtual impact on programming; (b) Programming impact on social and motor goals; (c) Impact of program design; (d) Impact on physical activity; and (e) Program feasibility for families. Results from this program evaluation suggest that physical literacy and physical activity levels were generally maintained throughout programming and caregivers indicated several social and activity benefits. Future work includes program modifications and further evaluation of virtual adapted physical activity programming to improve the physical literacy of individuals with disabilities.

Validation of an adolescent ovulatory menstrual health literacy questionnaire.

This study aimed to face validate an adolescent ovulatory menstrual (OM) health literacy questionnaire and to measure reliability by test-retest. Draft questions from an earlier content validation were adjusted following face validity assessment with 28 adolescents. Test-retest reliability was assessed by 89 adolescents aged 14-18 years over a two-week period across four school sites. The mean levels of agreement recorded from the critical, interactive and functional health literacy domains were 83%, 74% and 68%, respectively. There were 44 out of 74 items with Kappa statistics >0.40. The questionnaire has confirmed face validity and adequate test-retest reliability for assessing adolescent OM health literacy.

Assessing Patients’ Critical Health Literacy and Identifying Associated Factors: Cross-sectional Study

Previous studies have revealed that functional health literacy plays a less important role than communicative and critical health literacy (CRHL) and that communicative literacy and CRHL contribute more to better patient self-management. Although improving health literacy has been identified as an approach to fostering community involvement and empowerment, CRHL may be regarded as the neglected domain of health literacy, rarely achieving any focus or interventions that claim to be working toward this outcome. Considering this research background, close scholarly attention needs to be paid to CRHL and its associated factors. This study aimed to assess CRHL and identify essential factors closely associated with the status of CRHL among Chinese patients and to provide some implications for clinical practice, health education, medical research, and public health policy making. We conducted this cross-sectional study, which lasted from April 8, 2022, to September 23, 2022, following the steps below. We first designed a 4-section survey questionnaire and then recruited Mandarin Chinese-speaking patients from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, China, using randomized sampling. Subsequently, we administered the questionnaire via wenjuanxing, the most popular web-based survey platform in China, between July 20, 2022, and August 19, 2022. Finally, we used latent class modeling to analyze the valid data collected to classify the patient participants and identify the factors potentially associated with different CRHL levels. All data in the 588 returned questionnaires were valid. On the basis of the collected data, we classified the patient participants into 3 latent classes of limited, moderate, and adequate CRHL and identified 4 factors associated with limited CRHL, including middle and old age, male sex, lower educational attainment, and low internal drive to maintain one's health. Using latent class modeling, we identified 3 classes of CRHL and 4 factors associated with limited CRHL among the Chinese study participants. These literacy classes and the predicting factors ascertained in this study can provide some implications for clinical practice, health education, medical research, and health policy making.

Maternal metabolic syndrome in pregnancy and child development at age 5: exploring mediating mechanisms using cord blood markers

BackgroundThere is limited evidence on how the classification of maternal metabolic syndrome during pregnancy affects children’s developmental outcomes and the possible mediators of this association. This study uses a cohort sample of 12,644 to 13,832 mother–child pairs from the UK Born in Bradford Study to examine the associations between maternal metabolic syndrome classification (MetS) and child development outcomes at age 5, using cord blood markers as candidate mediators.MethodsMaternal cardiometabolic markers included diabetes, obesity, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, hypertension, and fasting glucose during pregnancy. Cord blood markers of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, and adiponectin were used as child mediators. Child outcomes included two starting school variables: British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS) and the Letter Identification Assessment (LID), and five developmental milestone domains from a national UK framework: (1) communication and language (COM); (2) personal, social, and emotional (PSE); (3) physical development (PHY); (4) literacy (LIT); and (5) mathematics (MAT). Mediation models were used to examine the associations between the classification of maternal metabolic syndrome and child developmental milestones. Models were adjusted for potential maternal, socioeconomic, and child confounders such as maternal education, deprivation, and gestational age.ResultsIn mediation models, significant total effects were found for MetS associations with children’s development in the LIT domain at age 5. MetS predicted individual cord blood mediators of lower HDL and increased leptin levels in both adjusted and unadjusted models. Total indirect effects (effects of all mediators combined) for MetS on a child’s COM and PSE domain were significant, through all child cord blood mediators of LDL, HDL, triglycerides, adiponectin, and leptin for adjusted models.ConclusionsThe results support the hypothesis that maternal metabolic syndrome classification during pregnancy is associated with some child developmental outcomes at age 5. After adjusting for maternal, child, and environmental covariates, maternal metabolic syndrome classification during pregnancy was associated with children’s LIT domain through direct effects of maternal metabolic health and indirect effects of cord blood markers (total effects), and COM and PSE domains via changes only in a child’s cord blood markers (total indirect effects).

Analysis of Students' Scientific Literacy Ability by the Implementation of Case Method Learning

This study aims to analyze the increase in students' scientific literacy by implementation of case method learning. This is a quasi-experimental research using a one group pretest-posttest design. The research sample is the first semester students of the Chemistry Education Department at Universitas Samudra in the odd semester of the 2022/2023 academic year. This research consists of four stages, namely material analysis, development of tools and instruments, implementation, and data analysis. The scientific literacy test instrument was used to measure students' scientific literacy. Students' scientific literacy skills are presented according to content, science process, and context aspects. The increase in students' scientific literacy skills was analyzed based on the N-gain and paired sample t test. The results of the study found that students' scientific literacy skills in all content, science process, and contexts, were higher in the posttest than the pretest except for content energy that accompanies changes in material and context of natural resources. The average scientific literacy ability of students at the posttest (74.33) was higher than at the pretest (57.08). The N-gain value of 0.40 indicates an increase in students' scientific literacy skills with implementation of case method learning in the medium category. Analysis with paired sample t test indicates a significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores. Thus, it can be concluded that case method learning can improve students' scientific literacy skills in the three domains of scientific literacy.

Comparison of Scientific Literacy Competence Domain Appearance in Task Questions of Biology Electronic School Books (BSE) at Each Grade of High School.

This descriptive study aims to determine the comparison of scientific literacy competence domain appearance in task questions of biology electronic school books (BSE) at each grade of high school. The subjects of this study consisted of 1,650 questions contained in the 2009 edition of the BSE Biology book for grade X, XI, and XII which were determined by purposive sampling technique which included sample questions and question exercises. The instrument used in this study was a document analysis sheet about the domain of scientific literacy competencies. The results of the task question analysis show that the higher level of the grade, the aspect of explaining scientific phenomena and aspects of interpreting data and scientific evidence has increased compared to the aspects of evaluating and designing scientific research that tends not to appear at each grade level. Therefore, based on these results it can be concluded scientific literacy competence domain appearance in task questions of high school biology electronic school books are not distributed well, so it needs improvement in the preparation of these questions in order to increase the domain of students’ scientific literacy competences.&#x0D; Keywords: question domain of scientific literacy, Biology School Book (BSE)

Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment Questionnaire (PPLA-Q) for Adolescents: Validity and Reliability of the Psychological and Social Modules using Mokken Scale Analysis.

We examined the construct validity and reliability of the previously developed Psychological and Social modules of the Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment Questionnaire (PPLA-Q) using Mokken Scale Analysis in a sample of 508 Portuguese adolescents in public schools in Lisbon. We used a retest subsample (n = 73) to calculate the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Eight PPLA-Q scales can be interpreted as moderate-to-strong Mokken scales (H = .47-.66) with good total-score reliability (ρ = .83-.94), and moderate-to-excellent test-retest reliability (ICC95%CI = .51-.95); four scales had an interpretable invariant item ordering. All but the Physical Regulation scale functioned similarly across sex. Scale-scores correlated as expected, with low-to-moderate correlations across domains supporting convergent and discriminant validity. These results support the construct validity and reliability of the PPLA-Q to assess the psychological and social domains of physical literacy in Portuguese adolescents (15-18years) enrolled in physical education.

Racism and Friends: The Relevance of Racial Literacy in Clinical Spaces

Racial literacy is presented as a framework for bolstering clinical skills among mental health providers, particularly when racism and/or other sources of oppression need to be addressed within clinical spaces. Traditional multicultural psychology training is intended to build upon students’ diversity awareness. There are, however, gaps that contribute to the predominantly White population of counseling trainees exiting their training with limited capacity to address racism and other sources of oppression. This manuscript maintains that racial literacy is a tool that can be used intersectionally to address the problem of racism and racism's friends (e.g., patriarchy and heteronormativity). A case study approach is used to center the discussion of the three domains of racial literacy. The first domain is recognition and refers to detecting, noticing, and observing sensory experiences and environmental stimuli (verbal and nonverbal). Reading is the second domain of racial literacy and describes an accurate naming of the sensory experience detected. The third domain is resolving which describes taking action, problem solving, and intervening.

Health Literacy among Older Adults in Portugal and Associated Sociodemographic, Health and Healthcare-Related Factors.

Although the health literacy level of the general population was described recently, little is known about its specific levels among older adults in Portugal. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the levels of health literacy demonstrated by older adults in Portugal and explore associated factors. Using a randomly generated list of telephone numbers, adults aged 65 years or more living in mainland Portugal were contacted in September and October 2022. Sociodemographic, health and healthcare-related variables were collected, and the 12-item version of the European Health Literacy Survey Project 2019-2021 was used to measure health literacy. Then, binary logistic regression models were used to investigate factors associated with limited general health literacy. In total, 613 participants were surveyed. The mean level of general health literacy was (59.15 ± 13.05; n = 563), whereas health promotion (65.82 ± 13.19; n = 568) and appraising health information (65.16 ± 13.26; n = 517) were the highest scores in the health literacy domain and the dimension of health information processing, respectively. Overall, 80.6% of respondents revealed limited general health literacy, which was positively associated with living in a difficult household financial situation (4.17; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.64-10.57), perceiving one's own health status as poorer (7.12; 95% CI: 2.02-25.09), and having a fair opinion about a recent interaction with primary healthcare services (2.75; 95% CI: 1.46-5.19). The proportion of older adults with limited general health literacy in Portugal is significant. This result should be considered to inform health planning according to the health literacy gap of older adults in Portugal.

Evaluating the impact of loneliness and social isolation on health literacy and health-related factors in young adults.

In current study, we aim to extend previous research by investigating the unique impact of loneliness on health literacy and health-related factors of young adults, after controlling for social isolation, depressive symptomology, and social anxiety, as well as evaluate how social isolation and loneliness differ in their impact on health literacy, and health-related factors among young adults, after accounting for abovementioned concomitant variables. Using a cross-sectional study design, 521 young adults completed an online survey in 2020, where they self-reported their loneliness, social isolation, health-related factors, and health literacy data. Increased loneliness was associated with decrease in several health literacy domains (e.g., poorer social support for health, lower appraisal of health information, among others) and increase in some health-related factors (e.g., higher perceived stress, higher negative affect), among young adults, even after controlling for social anxiety, depressive symptomology, and social isolation. Contrastingly, increase in social isolation was associated with changes in some health-related factors - more somatic health complaints, higher alcohol use, poorer cognitive and physical functioning, and lower scores for only one health literacy domain (i.e., social support for health) among young adults, after adjusting for the influence of social anxiety, depressive symptomology, and loneliness. Even after accounting for the influence of several co-occurring social and mental health symptoms, higher loneliness was associated poorer health literacy and health-related factors in young adults. We also found loneliness and social isolation may differ in the mechanisms through which they impact health literacy and health-related factors in young adults.

Health literacy of university employees: The role of sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status.

Health literacy plays a key role in promoting overall health and preventing diseases among individuals and communities. However, the literature regarding health literacy among university employees is still evolving and not thoroughly understood. This study was conducted to examine the association between health literacy and sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status of university employees in Jordan. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. A total of 163 university employees participated by completing a demographics questionnaire and the Health Literacy Questionnaire. The Health Literacy Questionnaire is considered a comprehensive tool to assess health literacy, and it encompasses nine distinct scales. The body mass index was calculated by obtaining the participants' height and weight. The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that three factors had a statistically significant effect on the linear composite of the Health Literacy Questionnaire scales. These factors were the university employees' age, highest level of education, and body mass index. Follow-up analyses revealed that university employees' sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status affect different domains of health literacy. Compared to overweight employees, those with normal body mass index had higher mean average scores on six (out of nine) scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire. These results highlight the need for addressing the nutritional status and sociodemographic characteristics as a source of disparity in university employees' health literacy. Such factors should be addressed in designing tailored health promotion interventions for university employees.