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The Role of Health Literacy among Outpatient Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

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  • Elisabeth Rohwer

    (Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Seewartenstr. 10, Hs. 1, 20459 Hamburg, Germany
    Midwifery Science-Health Services Research and Prevention, Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Natascha Mojtahedzadeh

    (Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Seewartenstr. 10, Hs. 1, 20459 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Felix Alexander Neumann

    (Midwifery Science-Health Services Research and Prevention, Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Albert Nienhaus

    (Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), Pappelallee 33/35/37, 22089 Hamburg, Germany
    Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), Competence Centre for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Matthias Augustin

    (Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), Competence Centre for Health Services Research in Vascular Diseases (CVvasc), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Volker Harth

    (Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Seewartenstr. 10, Hs. 1, 20459 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Birgit-Christiane Zyriax

    (Midwifery Science-Health Services Research and Prevention, Institute for Health Service Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this research.)

  • Stefanie Mache

    (Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Seewartenstr. 10, Hs. 1, 20459 Hamburg, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this research.)

Abstract

Health literacy became an important competence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite outpatient caregivers being a particularly vulnerable occupational group, their health literacy has hardly been examined yet, especially during the pandemic. Hence, this study aimed to explore this field and provide first empirical insights. Data were collected based on a cross-sectional online survey among 155 outpatient caregivers. In particular, health literacy (HLS-EU-Q16), diet and physical activity, pandemic-related worries, perceived information sufficiency and stress perception were examined. Descriptive and ordinal logistic regression analyses were run to test explorative assumptions. The majority of outpatient caregivers reported high values of health literacy (69% on a sufficient level). Although no significant associations between health literacy and health behaviours or perceived information sufficiency were found, perceived information sufficiency and perceived stress ( OR = 3.194; 95% CI: 1.542–6.614), and pandemic-related worries ( OR = 3.073; 95% CI: 1.471–6.421; OR = 4.243; 95% CI: 2.027–8.884) seem to be related. Therefore, dissemination of reliable information and resource-building measures to reduce worries may be important parameters for improving outpatient caregivers’ health. Our results provide first explorative insights, representing a starting point for further research. Considering outpatient caregivers’ mobile work setting, they need to be provided with adequate equipment and comprehensible information to ensure physically and mentally healthy working conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabeth Rohwer & Natascha Mojtahedzadeh & Felix Alexander Neumann & Albert Nienhaus & Matthias Augustin & Volker Harth & Birgit-Christiane Zyriax & Stefanie Mache, 2021. "The Role of Health Literacy among Outpatient Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-25, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:11743-:d:675053
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    2. Doris Gebhard & Julia Neumann & Magdalena Wimmer & Filip Mess, 2022. "The Second Side of the Coin—Resilience, Meaningfulness and Joyful Moments in Home Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-23, March.

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