Health Literacy In Context Settings Media And Populations

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Health Literacy in Context—Settings, Media, and Populations" that was published in IJERPH

To date, most published health literacy research has focused on assessing and improving personal skills and abilities. More recently, a better understanding has emerged of the extent to which these skills and abilities are mediated by environmental demands and situational complexities - the context in which health literacy is developed and applied. This has led to much greater attention being given to ways of reducing the situational demands and complexity in which an individual makes a health decision. This collection of papers examines current progress in understanding health literacy "in context", by improving our understanding of the mutual impact of a range of social, economic, environmental, and organisational influences on health literacy. These papers provide unique and original perspectives on the concept, distribution, and application of health literacy in very diverse populations, offering cultural insights and a clear indication of the impact of social and environmental context on health literacy. These perspectives include an examination of differing national policy responses to health literacy illustrating how policy and practice can (and should) respond to this more complete but complex understanding of health literacy. Other papers look at the application of new digital media and the creative harnessing of popular culture as routes to extend the reach and customisation of communications. These papers also illustrate good progress in the evolution of research in the contexts in which health literacy is developed and applied, as well as signaling some areas in which more research would be useful.

Available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. Health literacy addresses a range of social dimensions of health, including knowledge, navigation and communication, as well as individual and organizational skills for accessing, understanding, evaluating and using information. Particularly over the past decade, health literacy has globally become a major public health concern as an asset for promoting health, wellbeing and sustainable development. This comprehensive handbook provides an invaluable overview of current international thinking about health literacy, highlighting cutting edge research, policy and practice in the field. With a diverse team of contributors, the book addresses health literacy across the life-span and offers insights from different populations and settings. Providing a wide range of major findings, the book outlines current discourse in the field and examines necessary future dialogues and new perspectives.

Health literacy offers a new way of thinking about how we engage with information about and for health, both as users and providers of information. As a multifaceted construct, health literacy weaves together ideas drawn from health and adult education/literacy disciplines. The complexity of health literacy necessarily reflects the contexts in which it applies and the perspectives of those who integrate and examine it in their research and practice. This book captures the richness in thinking about health literacy by presenting perspectives of international researchers and practitioners who have been working on health literacy in diverse settings and contexts.

Health literacy offers a new way of thinking about how we engage with information about and for health, both as users and providers of information. As a multifaceted construct, health literacy weaves together ideas drawn from health and adult education/literacy disciplines. The complexity of health literacy necessarily reflects the contexts in which it applies and the perspectives of those who integrate and examine it in their research and practice. This book captures the richness in thinking about health literacy by presenting perspectives of international researchers and practitioners who have been working on health literacy in diverse settings and contexts.

In this anthology of health literacy, drawing on New Social Literacy studies and contemporary debates on equity, we discuss health literacy within German regional and cultural contexts as well as in selected non-European regions, such as in Asia and South America. Topics include unique reviews on health literacy, new empirical results on different population groups, in-depth ethnographic insights into social contexts, interventions intended to improve health literacy, and innovative theoretical dialogs. The discussions within this book provide new ideas and intriguing new results, also shedding light on the explanatory power of the health literacy concept as well as its boundaries.

As societies grow more complex and people are increasingly bombarded with health information and misinformation, health literacy becomes essential. People with strong health literacy skills enjoy better health and well-being, while those with weaker skills tend to engage in riskier behavior and have poorer health. With evidence from the recent European Health Literacy Survey, this report identifies practical and effective ways public health and other sector authorities and advocates can strengthen health literacy in a variety of settings, including educational settings, workplaces, marketplaces, health systems, new and traditional media and political arenas. The report can be used as a tool for spreading awareness, stimulating debate and research and, above all, for informing policy development and action.

Why do we need health literacy? Through a health promotion and social justice lens, Laurie Hoffman-Goetz, Lorie Donelle, and Rukhsana Ahmed describe health literacy as an increasingly important determinant of health and highlight the necessity of health literacy skills for ensuring equitable access to health care information and services. This core text offers a critical examination of how culture, ethnicity, social media applications, and the literacy and digital divides affect individuals' ability to secure health information, services, and support. Health Literacy in Canada will inform the way we respond to public health issues in Canada and around the world. This pedagogically rich and highly accessible text is ideal for use in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in public health, health promotion, health communication, risk communication and perception, and gerontology. Features: contains extensive learning tools for students, including summaries of key points, questions for reflection, learning exercises, a glossary, and a list of additional resources provides a comprehensive review of fundamental health literacy concepts including definitions, models, and measurement tools emphasizes Canadian-centred examples of health literacy policy milestones offers concrete recommendations for improving health literacy in everyday settings