Health literacy and e-health literacy among Arabic-speaking migrants in Sweden: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHealth literacy plays an important role in preventing and managing chronic diseases, while low levels of health literacy among ethnic minorities are a major manifestation of health inequities. We believe that before effective health literacy intervention strategies, it is preferable to understand the features of health literacy among ethnic minorities. The present study firstly updated insights on health literacy among ethnic minorities by investigating the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) profile of common chronic diseases in ethnic minority areas, and secondly discussed the KAP profiles in detail to inspire future health education interventions.MethodsA cross-sectional, health-literacy-sensitive study was conducted in China's typical ethnic minority area. Participants included 801 adult residents who lived in the ethnic minority area. The primary outcome was participant scores on the KAP questionnaire of common chronic diseases, followed by latent profile analysis to identify participants with similar KAP score patterns and determine whether membership in specific groups was associated with demographic or clinical characteristics.ResultsThe participants included 496 ethnic minorities (61.9%) and 305 Han Chinese (38.1%). Three-profile solution was determined after the latent profile analysis: incomplete transfer [I.T.] (n = 215), better practice [B.P.] (n = 301), and average [A.V.] (n = 285). IT group (26.84%) was characterized by the highest level of knowledge and attitude toward common chronic diseases and below average level for practice. Participants in B.P. group performed poorly in both knowledge and attitude toward common chronic diseases but had the highest level of practice. A.V. group reflected average knowledge, attitude, and practice toward common chronic diseases among three subgroups. Ethnic minorities were the dominant population in A.V. group (68.8%). Compared with other groups, the A.V. group contained the largest proportions of married participants (84.2%), participants with no formal education (46.7%), and high annual out-of-pocket medical expense (33.3%).ConclusionA more specific and nuanced understanding of minority health literacy can enable service providers to provide more effective health education to their recipients, thereby improving health inequities.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A latent profile analysis of residents' knowledge, attitude, and practice toward common chronic diseases among ethnic minority area in China

Xu²,

Shao³

et al. 2022

“…In a Swedish context, research has shown that newly arrived migrants have limited health literacy and ask for more information on health-related issues, as well as that the healthcare services sometimes take it for granted that migrants have the same general health knowledge as people who have grown up in Sweden ( 7 ). In regard to health literacy, or the knowledge, motivation and, competencies to access, understand, appraise and apply information relevant to health ( 8 ), migrants have been reported to have limited levels of health literacy both in Europe ( 9 , 10 ) and Sweden ( 11 , 12 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Civic communicators' view of and approach to health promotion for newly arrived migrants in Sweden

Svanholm

Carlerby

Viitasara

2022

For newly arrived migrants, integration is important in promoting health and decreasing health inequities. In a Swedish context, civic orientation is a program to promote integration and increase the chance of employment for newly arrived migrants. The aim of this project was to explore how civic communicators view and approach health promotion in their work with newly arrived migrants in the civic orientation program in Sweden. Data were collected through interviews with eight civic communicators working with newly arrived migrants in civic orientation in the north of Sweden. The interviews followed a semi-structured interview guide and were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in the main theme “To dress the participants for a (healthy) life in Sweden,” with two sub-themes “Knowledge—a key to health” and “Being a guide for participants in a new context.” In their work with civic orientation for newly arrived migrants, civic communicators are involved in health promotion by preparing their participants for a life in Sweden. They work to empower their participants to be able to make informed decisions and live healthy lives by both providing information to enhance knowledge and skills. They also work to guide them through the complexity of being in a new situation and country.

“…Research in the United States, Canada and Australia mostly shows large proportions of low health literacy among ethnic minorities or migrants, including Asians, Latin Americans, former Soviet Union migrants and other ethnic groups (10)(11)(12)(13)(14). In Europe, this includes, for instance, migrants with refugee status and Arabic-speaking migrants in Sweden (15,16), women from Somalia and different migration groups in Norway (17, 18), Russian-speaking migrants in Israel (19), Turkish, Portuguese and former Yugoslavian migrants in Switzerland and Austria (20,21). To the best of our knowledge, research on migrants in Germany is scarce.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…characteristics such as self-efficacy, which imply that migrants are also self-determined actors. Additionally, migrant-specific aspects, such as low proficiency in the receiving country's language and a shorter duration of stay have been identified as factors associated with low health literacy (12,15,16,18,21,32,(44)(45)(46). Research considering second generation migrants is scarce (21).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in health literacy domains among migrants and their descendants in Germany

Berens

Klinger

Carol

et al. 2022

BackgroundHealth literacy (HL) is considered to be an important precondition for health. HL research often identifies migrants as vulnerable for low HL. However, in-depth data on HL among migrants especially in its domains of health care, disease prevention and health promotion and its determinants are still scarce.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was therefore to analyse the current status of HL among migrants and their descendants from Turkey and from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in Germany and factors associated with it. This has not been studied using large-scale data and bilingual interviews. We differentiate between dimensions of HL, namely the domains of health care, disease prevention and health promotion which goes beyond many previous studies. In addition, we explore new mechanisms by testing the explanatory power of self-efficacy and interethnic contacts for migrants' HL.MethodsThe study includes 825 first- and second-generation adult migrants from two of the largest immigration groups in Germany, from Turkey and FSU, who were interviewed face-to-face in German, Turkish or Russian in late summer 2020. HL was measured using the HLS19-Q47 instrument. Age, gender, educational level, social status and financial deprivation, chronic illness, health-related literacy skills, self-efficacy, interethnic contacts, migration generation, duration of stay and region of origin were considered as possible determinants. Ordinary least square regressions were estimated.ResultsThe average general HL score was 65.5. HL in health promotion and disease prevention was lower than in health care. Low financial deprivation, health-related literacy skills, and self-efficacy were positively correlated with each HL domain. Educational level, social status, age, gender, duration of stay and interethnic contacts were positively correlated with HL in some domains. Region of origin was only correlated with the domain of disease prevention until interethnic contact was accounted for.ConclusionOur study contributes to the existing knowledge by analyzing different domains of HL and testing its correlations with self-efficacy and interethnic contact among migrants. We reveal that migrants cannot generally be considered as vulnerable for low HL, as oftentimes outlined. There is a need for interventions e.g. to enhance the understanding of health information among subgroups with lower HL.