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Health Literacy of People with Substitutive Private Health Insurance in Germany and Their Assessment of the Health System Performance According to Health Literacy Levels: Results from a Survey

Author

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  • Katharina Achstetter

    (Department of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Julia Köppen

    (Department of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Matthias Haltaufderheide

    (Department of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Philipp Hengel

    (Department of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Miriam Blümel

    (Department of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Reinhard Busse

    (Department of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Health literacy (HL) is a competence to find, understand, appraise, and apply health information and is necessary to maneuver the health system successfully. People with low HL are, e.g., under the risk of poor quality and safety of care. Previous research has shown that low HL is more prevalent among, e.g., people with lower social status, lower educational level, and among the elderly. In Germany, people with substitutive private health insurance (PHI) account for 11% of the population and tend to have a higher level of education and social status, but in-detail assessments of their HL are missing so far. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the HL of PHI insureds in Germany, and to analyze their assessment of the health system according to their HL level. In 2018, 20,000 PHI insureds were invited to participate in a survey, which contained the HLS-EU-Q16, and items covering patient characteristics and the World Health Organization health systems framework goals (e.g., access, quality, safety, responsiveness). Low HL was found for 46.2% of respondents and was more prevalent, e.g., among men and insureds with a low subjective social status. The health system performance was perceived poorer by respondents with low HL. Future initiatives to strengthen health systems should focus on promoting HL.

Suggested Citation

  • Katharina Achstetter & Julia Köppen & Matthias Haltaufderheide & Philipp Hengel & Miriam Blümel & Reinhard Busse, 2022. "Health Literacy of People with Substitutive Private Health Insurance in Germany and Their Assessment of the Health System Performance According to Health Literacy Levels: Results from a Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16711-:d:1001583
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jany Rademakers & Monique Heijmans, 2018. "Beyond Reading and Understanding: Health Literacy as the Capacity to Act," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Klaus Eichler & Simon Wieser & Urs Brügger, 2009. "The costs of limited health literacy: a systematic review," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(5), pages 313-324, October.
    3. Lennert Griese & Eva-Maria Berens & Peter Nowak & Jürgen M. Pelikan & Doris Schaeffer, 2020. "Challenges in Navigating the Health Care System: Development of an Instrument Measuring Navigation Health Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Anna T. Ehmann & Oliver Groene & Monika A. Rieger & Achim Siegel, 2020. "The Relationship between Health Literacy, Quality of Life, and Subjective Health: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study in a Rural Region in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-12, March.
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