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Work-Related Health Literacy: A Scoping Review to Clarify the Concept

Author

Listed:
  • Anna T. Ehmann

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, Wilhelmstr. 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany)

  • Eylem Ög

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, Wilhelmstr. 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany)

  • Monika A. Rieger

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, Wilhelmstr. 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany)

  • Achim Siegel

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, Wilhelmstr. 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany)

Abstract

The overall aim of this scoping review is to outline the current state of research on health literacy (HL) in the workplace: the primary objective is to clarify the concept of individual work-related HL; the secondary aims are to report on interventions that promote individual work-related HL and to present respective measurement instruments validated to date. A high level of work-related HL could support work ability and in the longer run employability. These topics are becoming increasingly important in current circumstances and in view of ongoing developments (e.g., digitalization and “new” work). A basic understanding and measurement of HL as an individual competence in the context of working life is necessary to develop future interventions to promote HL among people of working age. According to the participants, concept, and context (PCC) framework, we included articles on health literacy (concept) in the target group of people of working age in the workplace (population and context). Key information sources were the databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and PSYNDEX. A total of 30 articles were included. There are several terms for “health literacy in the workplace” (including individual work-related or occupational HL). The conceptualizations of the individual employee’s competence covered all aspects of HL (“access”, “understand”, “appraise”, and “apply” health information). The conceptualizations differed, among others, in the covered time horizon (referring either only to employees’ current work situation or additionally to their employability in the lifespan) or whether they referred also to the viability of the respective company. Published interventions attempting to promote individual work-related HL seem mostly to be targeted at the promotion of mental HL. A variety of outcomes have been measured in intervention studies, while specific measurement instruments for individual work-related HL seem to be scarce. We recommend the development of country-specific instruments for the assessment of individual work-related health literacy and to measure mental and physical work-related health literacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna T. Ehmann & Eylem Ög & Monika A. Rieger & Achim Siegel, 2021. "Work-Related Health Literacy: A Scoping Review to Clarify the Concept," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-24, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:9945-:d:640583
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anke Wagner & Ladina Schöne & Monika A. Rieger, 2020. "Determinants of Occupational Safety Culture in Hospitals and other Workplaces—Results from an Integrative Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-23, September.
    2. Madalina Adina Coman & Andreea Marcu & Razvan Mircea Chereches & Jarkko Leppälä & Stephan Van Den Broucke, 2020. "Educational Interventions to Improve Safety and Health Literacy Among Agricultural Workers: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Anke Wagner & Natalia Radionova & Monika A. Rieger & Achim Siegel, 2019. "Patient Education and Continuing Medical Education to Promote Shared Decision-Making. A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Aileen Hoge & Anna T. Ehmann & Monika A. Rieger & Achim Siegel, 2019. "Caring for Workers’ Health: Do German Employers Follow a Comprehensive Approach Similar to the Total Worker Health Concept? Results of a Survey in an Economically Powerful Region in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Juhani Ilmarinen, 2001. "Ageing Workers in Finland and in the European Union: Their Situation and the Promotion of their Working Ability, Employability and Employment," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 26(4), pages 623-641, October.
    6. Shaojie Qi & Fengrui Hua & Shengyuan Xu & Zheng Zhou & Feng Liu, 2021. "Trends of global health literacy research (1995–2020): Analysis of mapping knowledge domains based on citation data mining," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(8), pages 1-23, August.
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    1. Martina Michaelis & Christine Preiser & Susanne Voelter-Mahlknecht & Nicole Blomberg & Monika A. Rieger, 2022. "Uptake of Voluntary Occupational Health Care—Assessments of German Occupational Health Physicians and Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Lara Lindert & Lukas Kühn & Paulina Kuper & Kyung-Eun (Anna) Choi, 2022. "Organizational Health Literacy in the Context of Employee Health: An Expert-Panel-Guided Scoping Review Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-9, April.

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