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Moving Health Literacy Research and Practice towards a Vision of Equity, Precision and Transparency

Author

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  • Shuaijun Guo

    (Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
    Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia)

  • Xiaoming Yu

    (Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China)

  • Orkan Okan

    (Centre for Prevention and Intervention in Childhood and Adolescence (CPI), Faculty of Educational Science, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany)

Abstract

Over the past two decades, health literacy research has gained increasing attention in global health initiatives to reduce health disparities. While it is well-documented that health literacy is associated with health outcomes, most findings are generated from cross-sectional data. Along with the increasing importance of health literacy in policy, there is a lack of specificity and transparency about how to improve health literacy in practice. In this study, we are calling for a shift of current research paradigms from judging health literacy levels towards observing how health literacy skills are developed over the life course and practised in the real world. This includes using a life-course approach, integrating the rationale of precision public health, applying open science practice, and promoting actionable knowledge translation strategies. We show how a greater appreciation for these paradigms promises to advance health literacy research and practice towards an equitable, precise, transparent, and actionable vision.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuaijun Guo & Xiaoming Yu & Orkan Okan, 2020. "Moving Health Literacy Research and Practice towards a Vision of Equity, Precision and Transparency," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7650-:d:431867
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Catherine L. Jenkins & Susie Sykes & Jane Wills, 2022. "Public Libraries as Supportive Environments for Children’s Development of Critical Health Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Marla T. H. Hahnraths & Monique Heijmans & Torsten M. Bollweg & Orkan Okan & Maartje Willeboordse & Jany Rademakers, 2021. "Measuring and Exploring Children’s Health Literacy in The Netherlands: Translation and Adaptation of the HLS-Child-Q15," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.

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