scholarly journals Strenghtening Critical Health Literacy for Health Information Appraisal. An Approach from Argumentation Theory

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6764
Author(s):  
Sara Rubinelli ◽  
Alexander Ort ◽  
Claudia Zanini ◽  
Maddalena Fiordelli ◽  
Nicola Diviani
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Argumentation Theory ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Argument Evaluation ◽  
Critical Health Literacy ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Quality Decision ◽  
Education Concept

The overload of health information has been a major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health authorities play a primary role in managing this information. However, individuals have to apply critical health literacy to evaluate it. The objective of this paper is to identify targets for strengthening critical health literacy by focusing on the field of argumentation theory. This paper is based on the textual analysis of instances of health information through the lens of argumentation theory. The results show that critical health literacy benefits from: (1) understanding the concept of argument and the supporting reasons, (2) identifying the main argument schemes, and (3) the knowledge and use of the main critical questions to check the soundness of arguments. This study operationalizes the main aspects of critical health literacy. It calls for specific educational and training initiatives in the field. Moreover, it argues in favor of broadening the current educational curricula to empower individuals to engage in informed and quality decision making. Strenghtening individuals' critical health literacy involves interventions to empower in argument evaluation. For this purpose, argumentation theory has analytical and normative frameworks that can be adapted within a lay-audience education concept.

scholarly journals Tingkat Literasi Kesehatan Pasien Diabetes Mellitus Tipe 2 Di Puskesmas Kota Tomohon

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vina Putri Patandung ◽  
Kusrini Kadar ◽  
Kadek Ayu Erika
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Critical Health Literacy ◽  
Health Literacy Level ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Literacy Level

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease with high level of complexity that requires extensive education and self-care management. The demands on individuals with T2DM are complicated by the fact that self-care often depends on printed educational materials and high health literacy skills. Every individual who needs health information and services also needs health literacy skills to find health information and services, communicating needs, respond to and using the information and obtaining health services, understanding health information, and finding realible health information and services to suit all needs, making the right decision to act. This study aims to determine the level of functional, communicative, and critical health literacy of T2DM patients at Pangolombian and Kakaskasen Public Health Centre of Tomohon City, as well as factors related to the level of health literacy. Method: Quantitative descriptive to describe the level of health literacy and correlation to see factors related to the patient's health literacy level. The sample of this study was a patient of T2DM who followed prolanis, amounted to 34 people, determined by using purposive sampling. Data were obtained by interview and using demographic characteristics questionnaire and Functional, Communicative, and Critical Health Literacy questionnaires. Result: Generally, health literacy level of T2DM patients is still low both for functional, communicative, and critical. This can happen because of various factors but the most related is the low access to health information and patient education level. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that health literacy level of T2DM patient in Tomohon city is still very low. This happened because access to health information is still less obtained by patients and also their education level is still low. These results can be used as recommendations for health workers to pay more attention to how to educate patients who should be adjusted to the level of education so that the information provided can be put to good use by the patient.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting the health literacy Status of Patients with type 2 Diabetes through Demographic Variables: A Case Study from Iran

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
arash ziapour ◽  
Farbod Ebadi Fard Azar ◽  
Behzad Mahaki ◽  
Morteza Mansourian
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Critical Health Literacy ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Diabetes Patients

Abstract BackgroundHealth literacy is the ability of a person to acquire the process, understand the necessary health information, and make the health services needed for conscious health decisions. Low levels of health literacy can impair the healthcare and treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Besides, diabetes is the most common metabolic disorder that affects patients' quantity and quality of life. Health literacy means cognitive and social skills, with the motivation and ability to understand and use health information, helping individuals maintain and promote their good health. This study focused on determining the factors that affect the health literacy status of type 2 diabetes patients through the role of the demographic variables.MethodologyThis descriptive-analytical research survey recruited a sample based on 280 diabetic patients at the Diabetes Research Center of Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital in Kermanshah in 2020 through a cross-sectional study design. This study selected the diabetes patients using the technique of a simple random sampling and study applied the tools of demographic information questionnaire and the functional, communicative and critical health literacy scale (FCCHL) to collect data of diabetes patients. This study used the SPSS version-23 on the received data sets to perform statistical analysis, including t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression, to predict the factors affecting health literacy among diabetes patients.ResultsThe results showed the mean age of the participants 55.80±13.04 of diabetes patients. The mean and standard deviation of the health literacy score in diabetic patients indicated 2.70±0.44, respectively. The findings specify that there is a statistically significant relationship between health literacy, gender, education, occupation, income, and place of residence. The most robust predictors of health literacy are income variables (β=0.170), age (β=0.176), and employment (β=0.157).ConclusionThe results of this research study specified that the health literacy rate of individuals with diabetic type 2 is an average level. The potential communicative and critical health literacy influence essential for communication and education for diabetes patients in the settings of the primary health care system. The findings indicate that communicative and critical health literacy related to patients’ management and patients with functional health literacy looks passable in this study. The health information specialists need to recognize diabetes patients’ demographic variables according to their needs. Health professionals’ abilities to deliver health education resources seems critical, as it would improve health-related behavior by increasing literacy level.

Health Information Privacy and Public Health

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 663-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Hodge
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Functions ◽  
State And Local

Protecting the privacy of individually-identifiable health data and promoting the public’s health often seem at odds. Privacy advocates consistently seek to limit the acquisition, use, and disclosure of identifiable health information in governmental and private sector settings. Their concerns relate to misuses or wrongful disclosures of sensitive health data that can lead to discrimination and stigmatization against individuals. Public health practitioners, on the other hand, seek regular, ongoing access to and use of identifiable health information to accomplish important public health objectives. The collection and use of identifiable health data by federal, tribal, state, and local health authorities support nearly all public health functions and goals.Identifiable health data are the lifeblood of public health practice. When aggregated, these data help authorities monitor the incidence, patterns, and trends of injury and disease in populations. Health data are acquired by public health authorities through testing, screening, and treatment programs.

scholarly journals Comparison of Health Literacy of the Population Regarding Healthy Diet and Chronic Liver Diseases – West vs. East of Slovakia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
I. Klobusovska ◽  
M. Belovicova ◽  
M. Popovicova ◽  
T. Hudakova
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Liver Diseases ◽  
Chronic Liver ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Chronic Liver Diseases ◽  
Complex Action ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Lack Of Exercise

Introduction: The health status of the population is aresult of the complex action of several components of society. Chronic non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death. They are often aresult of smoking, alcohol consump- tion, poor diet and lack of exercise. Objectives: To obtain and compare information on health lit- eracy of the population (Western versus Eastern Slovakia) re- garding the most common liver diseases, risk factors for chronic liver diseases and healthy diet. Research sample group and methodology: Aself-designed questionnaire was composed of 30 questions. 400 respondents helped us to carry out the research: 145 men and 255 women. 200 respondents came from Western Slovakia and 200 respon- dents from Eastern Slovakia. Results: We established several hypotheses, based on which we determined health literacy of the population in Eastern and Western Slovakia. Health literacy is statistically significantly higher in aselected sample of respondents from the western part of Slovakia. Conclusions: In order to improve the health of the population, it is necessary to pay great attention to the education of the population about chronic diseases and healthy diet by all, the public health authorities, medicine and nursing. Close coop- eration with general practitioners is abasic prerequisite for the successful solving of this problem.

Information Behavior Factors Related to Satisfaction with Treatment Decisions in Parents of Children with Cancer (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makiko Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Treatment Decisions ◽  
Medical Institution ◽  
Information Utilization ◽  
Critical Health Literacy ◽  
Satisfaction With Treatment ◽  
Attending Physician

BACKGROUND Information behavior studies in modern medicine are indispensable not only for medical professionals but also in considering health outcomes for patients and health consumers. However, quantitative surveys do not provide sufficient information, and the medical information available on the Internet has not been analyzed in detail. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between information behavior and satisfaction with treatment decisions in patients and their family members and explore the characteristics of information behavior involved in treatment decisions. METHODS A retrospective, cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire (58 respondents, response rate 59.2%) for 105 parents of children with cancer at a children’s hospital in Japan. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine whether information behavior influenced satisfaction with treatment decisions, and correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationships between information behaviors. The analysis included 15 information sources and information behavior measured as the communicative health literacy, critical health literacy, and Shared Decision Making measured using the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health Literacy Scale and the Treatment Decision Satisfaction Scale consisting of 6 items. RESULTS The results regarding the RQ1 showed that the attending physician (P = .044), medical institution websites (P = .038), medical books/scientific papers (including those published in English; P = .020), and communicative health literacy (which reflects information utilization capability; P = .048), influenced satisfaction with treatment decisions. The results regarding the RQ2 showed that parents who used the attending physician as an information source did not receive information from other sources apart from a hospital medical professional. On the other hand, parents who used medical institution websites as information sources received various descriptive information. CONCLUSIONS We identified Internet-based information sources that influenced satisfaction with treatment decisions. We identified that the parent's information behavior tended to have a positive influence on the treatment decision when the attending physician and the medical institution’s Health Practitioner, HP, were the information sources, or when they recognized that there was a high communicative HL and utilized the information. Furthermore, the variables used to measure information behavior were divided into several groups based on association. Regarding satisfaction with treatment decisions correlating with each other, information behavior reflected the possibility of establishing links with information sources with direct influence, related information sources, and information utilization capability.

scholarly journals Users’ Beliefs Toward Physical Distancing in Facebook Pages of Public Health Authorities During COVID-19 Pandemic in Early 2020

2021 ◽  
pp. 109019812110144
Author(s):  
Soon Guan Tan ◽  
Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar ◽  
Hwee Lin Wee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Belief Model ◽  
United States Public Health ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Health Belief Model

This study aims to describe Facebook users’ beliefs toward physical distancing measures implemented during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic using the key constructs of the health belief model. A combination of rule-based filtering and manual classification methods was used to classify user comments on COVID-19 Facebook posts of three public health authorities: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States, Public Health England, and Ministry of Health, Singapore. A total of 104,304 comments were analyzed for posts published between 1 January, 2020, and 31 March, 2020, along with COVID-19 cases and deaths count data from the three countries. Findings indicate that the perceived benefits of physical distancing measures ( n = 3,463; 3.3%) was three times higher than perceived barriers ( n = 1,062; 1.0%). Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 ( n = 2,934; 2.8%) was higher compared with perceived severity ( n = 2,081; 2.0%). Although susceptibility aspects of physical distancing were discussed more often at the start of the year, mentions on the benefits of intervention emerged stronger toward the end of the analysis period, highlighting the shift in beliefs. The health belief model is useful for understanding Facebook users’ beliefs at a basic level, and it provides a scope for further improvement.

scholarly journals The Voices of Persons Living With Dementia: Exploring Their Information Needs to Live Well

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 60-60
Author(s):  
Michelle Kimzey ◽  
Ramona Baucham ◽  
Chelsea Martin ◽  
Carol Howe
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Health Decisions ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Diagnosis Of Dementia ◽  
Services And Supports

Abstract There are unique challenges and considerations when receiving the diagnosis of dementia. There are interventions, services, and supports for people with dementia and their care partners, yet they are often unknown, disconnected, and may not be widely available or easily accessible. Health literacy was defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Using a descriptive qualitative design, the purpose of this study was to describe how persons living with dementia and their care partners obtain, understand, and use information to make health decisions to live well with dementia. The convenience sample consisted of 28 care partners and 15 people living with dementia participating in 6 separate focus groups. To illuminate findings, data was analyzed using a hybrid approach (deductive followed by inductive). Four themes emerged deductively as persons gain health literacy in dementia (access, understand, appraise, and understand). The notable finding is the trend at diagnosis where they first are “seeking the expert” ,and as they move from dependence and gain understanding they are “becoming the expert”, and finally as they apply information they are “acting as the expert” for themselves and others. Engaging them in research not only gave them a voice but more importantly it influenced the health information that will be developed and implemented by them. These findings suggest there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained by persons living with dementia and their care partners.

scholarly journals Health literacy level in a various nephrology population from Québec: predialysis clinic, in-centre hemodialysis and home dialysis; a transversal monocentric observational study

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabel Boyer ◽  
Yannick Begin ◽  
Julie Dupont ◽  
Mathieu Rousseau-Gagnon ◽  
Nicolas Fernandez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Home Dialysis ◽  
Limited Health Literacy ◽  
Limited Health

Abstract Background Health literacy refers to the ability of individuals to gain access to, use, and understand health information and services in order to maintain a good health. It is especially important in nephrology due to the complexity of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The present study sought to define health literacy levels in patients followed in predialysis clinic, in-center dialysis (ICHD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) and home hemodialysis (HHD). Methods This transversal monocentric observational study analysed 363 patients between October 2016 and April 2017. The Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) were used to measure health literacy. Multivariate linear regressions were used to compare the mean scores on the BHLS and HLQ, across the four groups. Results Patients on PD had a significantly higher BHLS’score than patients on ICHD (p = 0.04). HLQ’s scores differed across the groups: patients on HHD (p = 0.01) and PD (p = 0.002) were more likely to feel understood by their healthcare providers. Compared to ICHD, patients on HHD were more likely to have sufficient information to manage their health (p = 0.02), and patients in the predialysis clinic were more likely to report high abilities for health information appraisal (p < 0.001). Conclusion In a monocentric study, there is a significant proportion of CKD patients, especially in predialysis clinic and in-centre hemodialysis, with limited health literacy. Patients on home dialysis (HHD and PD) had a higher level of health literacy compared to the other groups.

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