IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i4p1436-d324284.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Making a Case for “Education for Health Literacy”: An International Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Sandra Vamos

    (School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49001, USA)

  • Orkan Okan

    (Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Literacy Research, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany)

  • Tetine Sentell

    (Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA)

  • Irving Rootman

    (School of Public Health & Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC VBW 2Y2, Canada)

Abstract

In many countries, health literacy research, practice, and policy have been moving away from a focus only on medical care and health-care settings to a much broader conceptualization. In this broader perspective, health literacy can be obtained and used across many other settings (e.g., school, home, workplaces, government) towards achieving health and wellness goals across the life-course for individuals, families, and communities. The education sector is a critical domain towards these achievements and education for health literacy is a fundamental process and outcome. This can help towards important public health goals, including critical health literacy, as oriented not only towards individual actions, but also towards supporting effective social and political action. This Perspective Article describes the importance and utility of the education for health literacy perspective, which, follows a view that health literacy is a key outcome of health education from which improved population health, health promotion and disease prevention could be achieved across diverse contexts. We first describe different educational paradigms to address health literacy and clarify the education for health literacy perspective as a supportive, instructional and capacity-building global resource across the life-course. Then, using specific examples from Canada, America, and Germany, we provide a snapshot of the diverse ways in which the education for health literacy perspective can be found in national policies. These include broad national goals and standards (Germany and Canada) and major health care reform (America). We next consider the tensions and gaps that can arise in the translation and implementation of these policies relative to the ideal education for health literacy perspective, especially related to equity. These include the need for funding, goals of the educational system, and limited evaluation of policy in practice. Finally, we highlight strategic opportunities to achieve education for health literacy and equity especially offering examples from innovative practice in Canada across the lifespan.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Vamos & Orkan Okan & Tetine Sentell & Irving Rootman, 2020. "Making a Case for “Education for Health Literacy”: An International Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-18, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:4:p:1436-:d:324284
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/4/1436/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/4/1436/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nutbeam, Don, 2008. "The evolving concept of health literacy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 2072-2078, December.
    2. Saulius Sukys & Laima Trinkuniene & Ilona Tilindiene, 2019. "Subjective Health Literacy among School-Aged Children: First Evidence from Lithuania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-11, September.
    3. Michael B. Henderson & Philipp Lergetporer & Paul E. Peterson & Katharina Werner & Martin R. West & Ludger Woessmann, 2015. "Is Seeing Believing? How Americans and Germans Think about their Schools," ifo Working Paper Series 202, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    4. René Rüegg & Thomas Abel, 2019. "The relationship between health literacy and health outcomes among male young adults: exploring confounding effects using decomposition analysis," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(4), pages 535-545, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leena Paakkari & Minna Torppa & Joanna Mazur & Zuzana Boberova & Gorden Sudeck & Michal Kalman & Olli Paakkari, 2020. "A Comparative Study on Adolescents’ Health Literacy in Europe: Findings from the HBSC Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-12, May.
    2. Francesca Gallè & Patrizia Calella & Christian Napoli & Fabrizio Liguori & Eduardo Alfonso Parisi & Giovanni Battista Orsi & Giorgio Liguori & Giuliana Valerio, 2020. "Are Health Literacy and Lifestyle of Undergraduates Related to the Educational Field? An Italian Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-9, September.
    3. Charlotte Demant Klinker & Anna Aaby & Lene Winther Ringgaard & Anneke Vang Hjort & Melanie Hawkins & Helle Terkildsen Maindal, 2020. "Health Literacy is Associated with Health Behaviors in Students from Vocational Education and Training Schools: A Danish Population-Based Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-13, January.
    4. Anne-Kathrin M. Loer & Olga M. Domanska & Christiane Stock & Susanne Jordan, 2020. "Subjective Generic Health Literacy and Its Associated Factors among Adolescents: Results of a Population-Based Online Survey in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-23, November.
    5. Patrizio Zanobini & Marco Del Riccio & Chiara Lorini & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, 2024. "Empowering Sustainable Healthcare: The Role of Health Literacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-12, May.
    6. Maricel G. Santos & Anu L. Gorukanti & Lina M. Jurkunas & Margaret A. Handley, 2018. "The Health Literacy of U.S. Immigrant Adolescents: A Neglected Research Priority in a Changing World," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, September.
    7. Lergetporer, Philipp & Schwerdt, Guido & Werner, Katharina & West, Martin R. & Woessmann, Ludger, 2018. "How information affects support for education spending: Evidence from survey experiments in Germany and the United States," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 138-157.
    8. Apiradee Nantsupawat & Orn‐Anong Wichaikhum & Kulwadee Abhicharttibutra & Wipada Kunaviktikul & Mohd Said Bin Nurumal & Lusine Poghosyan, 2020. "Nurses' knowledge of health literacy, communication techniques, and barriers to the implementation of health literacy programs: A cross‐sectional study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(3), pages 577-585, September.
    9. Chiao Ling Huang & Shu-Ching Yang & Chia-Hsun Chiang, 2020. "The Associations between Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health Behaviors among College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-13, March.
    10. Yuji Kanejima & Kazuhiro P. Izawa & Masahiro Kitamura & Kodai Ishihara & Asami Ogura & Ikko Kubo & Hitomi Nagashima & Hideto Tawa & Daisuke Matsumoto & Ikki Shimizu, 2022. "Health Literacy Is Associated with Activities of Daily Living of Patients Participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Multicenter Clinical Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-10, December.
    11. Constanze Hübner & Mariya Lorke & Annika Buchholz & Stefanie Frech & Laura Harzheim & Sabine Schulz & Saskia Jünger & Christiane Woopen, 2022. "Health Literacy in the Context of Implant Care—Perspectives of (Prospective) Implant Wearers on Individual and Organisational Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-36, June.
    12. Setti Rais Ali & Paul Dourgnon & Lise Rochaix, 2018. "Social Capital or Education: What Matters Most to Cut Time to Diagnosis?," Working Papers halshs-01703170, HAL.
    13. Sasha A. Fleary & Carolina Gonçalves & Patrece L. Joseph & Dwayne M. Baker, 2022. "Census Tract Demographics Associated with Libraries’ Social, Economic, and Health-Related Programming," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-13, May.
    14. Samuel G Smith & Laura M Curtis & Jane Wardle & Christian von Wagner & Michael S Wolf, 2013. "Skill Set or Mind Set? Associations between Health Literacy, Patient Activation and Health," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-7, September.
    15. Davillas, Apostolos & de Oliveira, Victor Hugo & Jones, Andrew M., 2023. "Is inconsistent reporting of self-assessed health persistent and systematic? Evidence from the UKHLS," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    16. Virginia Vettori & Chiara Lorini & Chiara Milani & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, 2019. "Towards the Implementation of a Conceptual Framework of Food and Nutrition Literacy: Providing Healthy Eating for the Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-21, December.
    17. Ying Wu & Lu Wang & Zhongyuan Cai & Luqi Bao & Pu Ai & Zisheng Ai, 2017. "Prevalence and Risk Factors of Low Health Literacy: A Community-Based Study in Shanghai, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-10, June.
    18. Mitja Vrdelja & Sanja Vrbovšek & Vito Klopčič & Kevin Dadaczynski & Orkan Okan, 2021. "Facing the Growing COVID-19 Infodemic: Digital Health Literacy and Information-Seeking Behaviour of University Students in Slovenia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-16, August.
    19. Shyam Sundar Budhathoki & Melanie Hawkins & Gerald Elsworth & Michael T. Fahey & Jeevan Thapa & Sandeepa Karki & Lila Bahadur Basnet & Paras K. Pokharel & Richard H. Osborne, 2022. "Use of the English Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) with Health Science University Students in Nepal: A Validity Testing Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-14, March.
    20. Patrizio Zanobini & Chiara Lorini & Alberto Baldasseroni & Claudia Dellisanti & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, 2020. "A Scoping Review on How to Make Hospitals Health Literate Healthcare Organizations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-16, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:4:p:1436-:d:324284. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.