The OPtimising HEalth LIterAcy (Ophelia) process: study protocol for using health literacy profiling and community engagement to create and implement health reform

Health literacy is a multi-dimensional concept comprising a range of cognitive, affective, social, and personal skills and attributes. This paper describes the research and development protocol for a large communities-based collaborative project in Victoria, Australia that aims to identify and respond to health literacy issues for people with chronic conditions. The project, called Ophelia (OPtimising HEalth LIterAcy) Victoria, is a partnership between two universities, eight service organisations and the Victorian Government. Based on the identified issues, it will develop and pilot health literacy interventions across eight disparate health services to inform the creation of a health literacy response framework to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

National indicators of health literacy: ability to understand health information and to engage actively with healthcare providers - a population-based survey among Danish adults

Health literacy is a multidimensional concept covering a range of cognitive and social skills necessary for participation in health care. Knowledge of health literacy levels in general populations and how health literacy levels impacts on social health inequity is lacking. The primary aim of this study was to perform a population-based assessment of dimensions of health literacy related to understanding health information and to engaging with healthcare providers. Secondly, the aim was to examine associations between socio-economic characteristics with these dimensions of health literacy.

Development and implementation of Taiwan's child health literacy test

Objectives: The aims of this study were to develop Taiwan's Child Health Literacy Test and to undertake a nation-wide survey in order to determine the current status of Taiwanese sixth graders' health literacy, and to understand the association between health literacy, healthy behavior, and health status. absp Methods: Taiwan's Child Health Literacy Test was developed through the process of concept clarification, a qualitative pilot, a development pilot, and a field test. In the field test, 162,609 sixth graders (56.9%) from 2,235 schools (83.3%) nationwide completed the questionnaire. We also collected the students' dates of birth, BMIs, self-reported health and healthy behaviors. absp Results: The final test consisted of 32 questions with item discrimination of 0.55-1.89 and item difficulty of-1.7-0.41 according to IRT; Cronbach's a was 0.87. Based on this information, the test was deemed appropriate for basic health literacy screening among children. Nation-wide, the average score for sixth graders' health literacy was 23.97 points (total score 32 points), with a correct rate of 74.9%. Those who were "good" in self-reported health scored highest in health literacy (M = 24.29). Health literacy was significantly positively related to healthy behavior (r = .25, p< .05), and negatively to risky behavior (r =-.28, p< .05). absp Conclusions: This study was the first curriculum-based child health literacy test developed from the viewpoints of both teachers and pupils in Taiwan through a rigorous procedure. The nationwide survey results may serve as a reference for decision-makers at the national health education level.