Fostering Health Literacy Responsiveness in a Remote Primary Health Care Setting: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Primary healthcare organisations have an important role in addressing health literacy as this is a barrier to accessing and utilising health care. Until recently, no organisational development tool operationalising health literacy in an Australian context existed. This research evaluated the efficacy of the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) tool and associated assessment process in a primary healthcare organisation in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This study utilised a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design incorporating the collection and analysis of data in two phases: (1) Pre- and post-survey data and; (2) seven semi-structured interviews. Survey results showed that participants’ confidence in core health literacy concepts improved from baseline following the intervention. Analysis of the interview data revealed participants’ initial understanding of health literacy was limited, and this impeded organisational responsiveness to health literacy needs. Participants reported the workshop and tool content were relevant to their organisation; they valued involving members from all parts of the organisation and having an external facilitator to ensure the impartiality of the process. External barriers to improving their internal organisational health literacy responsiveness were identified, with participants acknowledging the management style and culture of open communication within the organisation as enablers of change. Participants identified actionable changes to improve their organisational health literacy responsiveness using the process of organisational assessment and change.

Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions of Potentially Preventable Rural Hospitalisations: A Qualitative Study

“…It is important that health services consider how responsive to their patient’s health literacy needs they are in their practice, and how their service might be improved to support all their patients, regardless of sociodemographic characteristics [ 39 ]. To date, there have been too few studies in rural Australia that explore primary healthcare’s response to health literacy challenges among their patients, although evidence is emerging that improving organisational health literacy is a realistic goal for most non-urban organisations [ 40 , 41 ].…”

The Ever-Evolving Nature of Health Literacy in Organizations: A Commentary on the 2021 JPHMP Article “Updating Health Literacy for Healthy People 2030”

“… 38 Work in this area has already begun. 39 Clearly, this action-based research should extend beyond health care organizations. 4 , 40 , 41 Toward that end, and in the form of a JPHMP Direct post , we offer a policy template for promoting organizational health literacy that was developed using the Health in All Policies framework.…”

“…Santana et al, in their article, encouraged action-based research be used, whereby public health professionals engage in partnerships that promote organizational health literacy and track how it develops 38. Work in this area has already begun 39. Clearly, this action-based research should extend beyond health care organizations 4,40,41.…”

Health Literacy in Adults with Chronic Diseases in the Context of Community Health Nursing: A Scoping Review

“…This applies especially for people with chronic conditions as they are diagnosed, treated and informed about their condition and the course of disease in primary care services [ 17 , 18 ]. As healthcare professionals are key providers to address information to patients, promoting health literacy is obligatory in their daily practice [ 19 ]. They have to be able to identify resources/limits of those people and communities to be entirely health literacy responsible [ 20 ].…”