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Health Literacy in the Canton of Zurich: First Results of a Representative Study

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  • Elena Guggiari

    (Careum Foundation, Health Literacy Department, Pestalozzistrasse 3, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
    Research Department, Careum School of Health, Gloriastrasse 18a, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Rebecca Jaks

    (Careum Foundation, Health Literacy Department, Pestalozzistrasse 3, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Fabian Marc Pascal Berger

    (Careum Foundation, Health Literacy Department, Pestalozzistrasse 3, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
    Research Department, Careum School of Health, Gloriastrasse 18a, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Dunja Nicca

    (Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Saskia Maria De Gani

    (Careum Foundation, Health Literacy Department, Pestalozzistrasse 3, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland)

Abstract

Managing health information and services is difficult for nearly half of the population in Switzerland. Low health literacy has been shown to result in poorer health and health outcomes as well as a higher utilization of health services. To date, studies on health literacy in Switzerland have focused on a national level. However, Switzerland is a federal state with 26 cantons and a strongly decentralized health system. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand how health literacy is distributed within the population of the canton of Zurich specifically, and to develop methods to determine whether an individual has a higher or lower level of health literacy. There were a total of 1000 participants in this representative study. Data was collected by an adapted version of the HLS-EU-Q47 and additional sociodemographic questions. The majority (56%) of the reported difficulties concerned accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health information. The findings confirm that health literacy follows a social gradient, whereby financially deprived individuals and those with a low educational level report lower health literacy. The need for action to strengthen the health literacy of these population groups is therefore urgent. Interventions should pay particular attention to these vulnerable groups and tailor resolutions to their needs and preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Guggiari & Rebecca Jaks & Fabian Marc Pascal Berger & Dunja Nicca & Saskia Maria De Gani, 2021. "Health Literacy in the Canton of Zurich: First Results of a Representative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-12, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:23:p:12755-:d:694238
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bas Geboers & Sijmen A. Reijneveld & Jaap A. R. Koot & Andrea F. De Winter, 2018. "Moving towards a Comprehensive Approach for Health Literacy Interventions: The Development of a Health Literacy Intervention Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Palumbo, Rocco & Annarumma, Carmela & Adinolfi, Paola & Musella, Marco & Piscopo, Gabriella, 2016. "The Italian Health Literacy Project: Insights from the assessment of health literacy skills in Italy," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(9), pages 1087-1094.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chengbo Li & Mengyao Liu & Jin Zhou & Mei Zhang & Huanchang Liu & Yuting Wu & Hui Li & George W. Leeson & Tingting Deng, 2022. "Do Health Information Sources Influence Health Literacy among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Urban Areas of Western China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-19, October.
    2. David García-García & Francisco Javier Pérez-Rivas, 2022. "Health Literacy and Its Sociodemographic Predictors: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Population in Madrid (Spain)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-14, September.

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