부산대학교 도서관

INTRODUCTION: Based on results of HLS-EU, WHO´s Solid Facts – Health Literacy (2013) recommended standardized, regular, international comparative measurement, monitoring, and benchmarking of general adult population health literacy (HL). For that an Action Network on Measuring Population and Organizational Health Literacy (M-POHL) was established by WHO-Europe in 2018 with 24 countries participating. As a first project the Health Literacy Survey 2019-2021 (HLS19) was started in 2018, with finally 17 countries participating. OBJECTIVES: To measure comprehensive HL by a standardized measure in all participating countries, to develop similar measures for selected relevant aspects of HL in sub-sets of participating countries, and to draft first recommendations for improving HL on an international and national level based on results. METHODS: Working groups of participating countries developed a study protocol and instruments to measure HL in national probability samples of at least 1000 in the time frame between November 2019 to June 2021. Data were collected in 17 participating countries. Data were analyzed for all countries in a standardized way and presented in a comparative International Report, with first recommendations for improving population HL, besides national reports. Furthermore, fact sheets on all new measures were provided and scientific articles on these measures are in preparation. RESULTS: Five new measures were developed, psychometrically evaluated, validated, and applied: a shortform HLS19-Q12 of a comprehensive measure of general HL, and specific measures for digital HL, navigational HL, communicative HL with physicians, and vaccination HL. All measures showed good results for psychometric characteristics, e.g. by CFA and Rasch analyses, and acceptable results for content and face validity, discriminant validity, and concurrent predictive validity. Concerning the results, there were overarching international trends for all participating countries but considerable variation by country as well. Generally, not all member countries of M-POHL found the means to participate in HLS19, and standardization of study protocols of participating countries were only possible to a certain degree, due to different obstacles, like Corona, financial resources, available national procedures of data collection, and specific national interests concerning prioritized aspects of HL. CONCLUSION: In principle, WHO´s recommendation to measure general adult population HL regularly in a standardized form in as many member states as possible could be realized by HLS19 to a certain degree. New relevant measurement instruments were developed, validated, and applied and worked well. Results confirmed general international trends with considerable variation between participating countries. Based on results, first recommendation for improving adult population HLs were offered. Therefore, M-POHL planning and preparation for a next wave of improved measuring of adult population HLs in 2024-2025 is already under way.