Influence of Health Literacy on the Physical Activity of Working Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the TRISEARCH Trial

Health literacy became an important competence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite outpatient caregivers being a particularly vulnerable occupational group, their health literacy has hardly been examined yet, especially during the pandemic. Hence, this study aimed to explore this field and provide first empirical insights. Data were collected based on a cross-sectional online survey among 155 outpatient caregivers. In particular, health literacy (HLS-EU-Q16), diet and physical activity, pandemic-related worries, perceived information sufficiency and stress perception were examined. Descriptive and ordinal logistic regression analyses were run to test explorative assumptions. The majority of outpatient caregivers reported high values of health literacy (69% on a sufficient level). Although no significant associations between health literacy and health behaviours or perceived information sufficiency were found, perceived information sufficiency and perceived stress (OR = 3.194; 95% CI: 1.542–6.614), and pandemic-related worries (OR = 3.073; 95% CI: 1.471–6.421; OR = 4.243; 95% CI: 2.027–8.884) seem to be related. Therefore, dissemination of reliable information and resource-building measures to reduce worries may be important parameters for improving outpatient caregivers’ health. Our results provide first explorative insights, representing a starting point for further research. Considering outpatient caregivers’ mobile work setting, they need to be provided with adequate equipment and comprehensible information to ensure physically and mentally healthy working conditions.

Section: Health Literacy and Health Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 87%

The Role of Health Literacy among Outpatient Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rohwer

Mojtahedzadeh

Neumann

et al. 2021

“…Although there is growing research evidence on the effect of the SES on health, citizen science studies that focus on these issues are sparse [ 32 ]. Meanwhile, citizens’ health literacy may support the promotion and maintenance of psychological well-being and healthy behavior such as physical activity and reduction of smoking and may improve self-reported health [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. To date, joint studies on the influence of the social environment (comprising personal and societal relationships, physical surroundings) and the perception of the quality of built neighborhood, urban green spaces, and hypertension have not received adequate attention.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neighborhood Social and Built Environment and Disparities in the Risk of Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gražulevičienė

Gražulevičius

Dėdelė

2020

Citizens’ participation in urban environmental quality assessment is important when identifying local problems in the sustainable development and environmental planning policy. The principal aim of this study was to analyze whether any social differences exist between the joint effect of built neighborhood quality and exposure to urban green spaces and the risk of hypertension. The study sample consisted of 580 participants residing in 11 districts in Kaunas city, Lithuania. Using geographic information systems (GIS), individual data on the socioeconomic status (SES) and health were linked to the participants’ perceptions of the environmental quality and exposure to green spaces (NDVI). We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate associations as odds ratios (OR). Those study participants with lower education and those study participants with higher education on low incomes rated their health significantly worse. Low SES persons residing in areas with low exposure to green spaces had a significantly higher risk of hypertension when sex, age, family status, smoking, and income were accounted for (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.01–3.36). This citizen science study provided evidence that the social environment and the quality of the built environment had a complex effect on disparities in the risk of hypertension.

“…In "Health Literacy as Communicative Action-A Qualitative Study among Persons at Risk in the Context of Predictive and Preventive Medicine", Harzheim et al [56] consider the role of predictive and preventive medicine in health literacy. Rudolf et al [57] provide objective information that health literacy has a relationship with physical activity in "Influence of Health Literacy on the Physical Activity of Working Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the TRISEARCH Trial".…”

Section: Individual Level: Prevention and Chronic Carementioning

confidence: 99%

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Health Literacy Research Around the World: More Important Than Ever in a Time of COVID-19

Sentell

Vamos

Okan

2020

222

187

As we write our editorial for a health literacy special issue in the midst of the international COVID-19 crisis, we take this opportunity to highlight the importance of individual, community, and population health literacy. We are not only in a "pandemic" but also an "infodemic". Health literacy is more important than ever in the face of these global health threats, which have impacted outcomes across the levels of the socio-ecological model (SEM), including individual health behaviors, family relationships, organizational behavior, state policy-making, national mortality statistics, and the international economy in the span of weeks. Our special issue sought to pull together interdisciplinary threads guided by two principles. The first was defining health literacy as essential skills and situational resources needed for people to find, understand, evaluate, communicate, and use information and services in a variety of forms across various settings throughout their life course to promote health and wellbeing. The second was the idea that enhancing health literacy in populations and systems is critical to achieving health equity. In this time of public health need across traditional borders, the inter-sectoral and international perspectives of special issue articles are more urgent than ever. A greater understanding, appreciation, and application of health literacy can support policy action on multiple levels to address major public health challenges. Health literacy should be built deliberately as a population-level resource and community asset. We have summarized the set of articles in this special issue across the levels of the SEM, hoping their thoughtful considerations and interesting findings will help to support global health and wellness and inspire future research, policy, and practice in this global public health emergency and beyond.As we write this special issue editorial in the midst of the global health threat of COVID-19, individual, community, and population health literacy are more important than ever [3][4][5][6][7]. Personal health behaviors, family relationships, organizational actions, state policy, national mortality statistics, and the international economy have changed in the span of weeks because of decision-making influenced by, and influencing, health literacy. Critical health literacy and digital health literacy are urgently needed by both the citizenry and policy makers to synthesize, analyze, and appraise the vast amount of urgent, complex, and even conflicting information from virologists, epidemiologists, data modelers, doctors, nurses, health departments, and the media [3,[5][6][7]. Health literacy capacities allow us to be well-informed about risks, resources, and recommendations and, ideally, to act in solidarity-based behaviors to achieve public health [3,4,7]. It is increasingly clear that social responsibility and solidarity may be key outcomes of health literacy, helping to combat decisions and policies that go against current COVID-19 evidence and best practice public health...