Using Feasibility Data and Codesign to Refine a Group-Based Health Literacy Intervention for New Parents

Abstract

Few health literacy interventions exist for new parents. We developed a group-based health literacy program (“Parenting Plus”), which was initially tested in a feasibility study in 2018. In this brief report, we describe how feasibility findings were incorporated into the Parenting Plus program. Using a codesign process with patient partners (feasibility study participants) and health staff to revise the program, version 2 was tested in a single-site pilot using pre- and post-intervention testing. Parents older than age 16 years whose child was between ages 4 and 26 weeks were recruited from nurse home visits in western Sydney, Australia. Interested participants attended the free 4-week health literacy program (four 2-hour sessions) delivered by a trained facilitator. Piloting suggested the revised program is acceptable to new parents, has good retention (93% over the course of 4 weeks), and can improve health literacy skills, including access to reliable health information and services. Our iterative development and codesign approach integrated learnings from various sources to inform the design of an evidence-based health literacy intervention. We now move to an effectiveness implementation hybrid trial to test intervention effectiveness (health literacy skill development) and support translation of research findings into routine practice. [ HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice . 2021;5(4):e276–e282.]

Embedding health literacy research and best practice within a socioeconomically and culturally diverse health service: A narrative case study and revised model of co‐creation

“…Evolving capability of researchers and health staff was achieved through the secondment process which enabled health staff and researchers to work directly together on the Parenting Plus project over a 10-month period. 40 Formal and informal interactions between team members during this time helped us to appreciate one another's worldviews, priorities and ways of working. Health staff were also involved in research capacity building and transferable skills training in data collection and analysis.…”

What makes an action plan “100% me”? Think aloud interviews about CVD prevention tools for varying health literacy needs

“…[15][16][17][18][19][20][21] This type of plan is well suited to online formats 14,[22][23][24] which allows for easy distribution, scale-up, adaptation to different contexts and inclusion with other online resources such as decision aids or patient education. [25][26][27] Recent research indicates they may be a particularly useful action plan format for groups with varying health literacy levels. 13,26 Despite the evidence-base underpinning implementation intentions and volitional help sheets, there is little qualitative research to T A B L E 1 Factors which INCREASE the effectiveness of implementation intentions.…”

“…Volitional help sheets have demonstrated effectiveness across a range of behaviours, including healthy eating, increasing physical activity and smoking cessation 15–21 . This type of plan is well suited to online formats 14,22–24 which allows for easy distribution, scale‐up, adaptation to different contexts and inclusion with other online resources such as decision aids or patient education 25–27 . Recent research indicates they may be a particularly useful action plan format for groups with varying health literacy levels 13,26 …”

Harnessing the Qualities and Principles of Adult Education for Health Literacy Learning

“…Since I obtained my doctoral degree, my work in health literacy has moved out of the adult education sphere and more toward health systems, where I have adapted the original adult education program for different community and clinical populations, including adults living with chronic kidney disease ( Muscat, Lambert, et al, 2021 ) and new parents ( Muscat, Ayre, et al, 2021 ). This process has made me appreciate—possibly more than ever—Dr.…”

“…These include, for example, skills related to health system vocabulary, dialogue, and discussion with health providers ( Rudd, 2002 ), and increasingly in critical appraisal of health information. Our own work has shown that embedding skills within health topics of interest may be an opportune way to achieve this in health systems where health literacy programs “compete” in an already crowded space of health communication and information transfer ( Muscat, Ayre, et al, 2021 ; Zwi et al, 2022 ).…”