The overall aim of this project is to gain knowledge about health literacy among people with long-term conditions.
The project draws on cross sectional data from a population survey in 2020 (HLS19) including several health literacy measures and background factors.
The sub-population of adults reporting long-term conditions lasting for more than 6 months is included in studying how they score on scales measuring health literacy, and how their scores are associated with person factors.
We also explore the psychometric properties of the scales applied, and how person factors “explain” the variation for this target group. To gain insight into how people with long term-health challenges perceive their own health literacy when facing health care services, we employ focus group interviews.
The project forms part of a project of the Norwegian Directorate of Health The International Health Literacy Population Survey (helsedirektoratet.no), as part of the European initiative Measuring population and organizational health literacy (m-pohl.net).
The focus group study is a collaboration between OsloMet and Frambu resource center for rare disorders.
Participants
More about the project
Following the framework of Sorensen and colleagues (2012), Health literacy entails people`s knowledge, motivation and competencies to access, understand, appraise, an apply health information in order to make judgements and take decisions in everyday life concerning healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion to maintain or improve quality of life during the life course.
Long-term conditions refer to health challenges lasting over a period of months or years, and with limited possibility for curative treatment.
The ongoing work in the International Health Literacy Population Survey (HLS19) is initiated to make grounds for knowledge-based policy concerning the planning and prioritization of health literacy efforts.
Central is also the tailoring of health care services regarding developing and evaluation of measures targeted to increase health literacy in the public.
The Norwegian population survey reports that a significant proportion of the population have difficulty in navigating the health care system. While there is an increasing digitalization of healthcare services, there is an increase in social inequality in health and quality of life.
Complexity and systemic demands can act as barriers for users of health services and can negatively affect people’s individual health literacy.
In Norway, a relatively large number of people live with long-term conditions. To identify specific challenges and implement targeted measures, we need more knowledge about people with long-term health challenges as a target group for health promotion.
This project aims to elicit knowledge about people with long-term conditions as a target group, with a special interest for relevant aspects like digital- and navigation health literacy.
Drawing on cross sectional data form HLS19, the project will describe the distribution of health literacy among this sub-population and explore the psychometric properties of applied scales. Further on, to explore associations between health literacy and health determinants.
By the help of focus group interviews, we also explore experiences of health literacy form the perspectives of people with rare disorders.
The results will discuss factors that may contribute to health literacy friendly organizations and help reducing navigation complexity.
