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Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Literacy Research [ICHL]

© Universität Bielefeld

International Health Literacy Population Survey 2019-2021 (HLS19)

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Duration:

  • 2019 - 2021

Project management: ​

 

Background

The European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU: 2009-2012) already provided the first important findings on health literacy in eight European countries, including Germany with the state of NRW. The survey stimulated health literacy research in many countries and also inspired political discussion on the topic. In the meantime, however, numerous and societal changes have taken place that require a renewed survey of health literacy. The globally advancing digitalization, which is also clearly noticeable in the healthcare sector, and an ever-increasing spectrum of information possibilities and health-relevant information form just a few trends.

Objective
The International Health Literacy Survey (HLS19), initiated by the WHO Action Network on Measuring Population and Organizational Health Literacy (M-POHL), will prepare and conduct a new survey of population health literacy in countries in the larger WHO European Region from to 2019 to 2020 that is as standardized as possible internationally.

The goal is

  • to Contribute to the further development of health literacy research in Europe,
  • provide an empirical database for evidence-based health literacy policy in the par-ticipating countries of the HLS19 and the M-POHL network,
  • provide a basis for intervention development, as well as to strengthen the importance of health literacy at the policy level.

 

Approach

Approximately 20 countries are participating in HLS19, including Germany with HLS-GER 2 led by Prof. Dr. Doris Schaeffer. The international survey, which is composed of the national studies, is managed and coordinated by the International Coordinating Centre (ICC) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Jürgen Pelikan. Health literacy is assessed in the survey using a revised version of the HLS-EU-Q. In addition, new topic packages were developed as part of the HLS19, including Digital Health Literacy, Navigation Health Literacy and Communicative Health Literacy. These can be surveyed by the countries as an option.

 
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