Health literacy and health behavior among women in Ghazni, Afghanistan

Copyright © 2021 Harsch, Jawid, Jawid, Saboga-Nunes, Sørensen, Sahrai and Bittlingmayer. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Background: Health literacy is a determinant of health and assessed globally to inform the development of health interventions. However, little is known about health literacy in countries with one of the poorest health indicators worldwide, such as Afghanistan. Studies worldwide demonstrate that women play a key role in developing health literacy. Hence, this study's purpose is to explore health literacy of women in Afghanistan and the associated factors. Methods: From May to June 2017, we randomly recruited 7-10 women per day at the hospital in Ghazni, a representative province of Afghanistan. Two trained female interviewers interviewed 322 women (15-61 years old) orally in Dari or Pashto on a voluntary basis and assessed their health literacy using the HLS-EU-Q16, associated socio-demographics, and health behavior. Results: Health literacy of women (among educated and illiterates) is low even compared to other Asian countries. Health literacy is linked to age and education. We found mixed evidence of the relationship between health literacy and contextual factors, help-seeking, and health-related behavior. Conclusion: This study provides novel data on health literacy and astonishing insights into its association with health behavior of women in Afghanistan, thus contributing to health status. The study calls for recognition of health literacy as a public health challenge be addressed in Afghanistan and other low-income countries affected by crises.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Digitale Gesundheitskompetenz – Konzeptionelle Verortung, Erfassung und Förderung mit Fokus auf Kinder und Jugendliche

Bittlingmayer UH, Dadaczynski K, Sahrai D, van den Broucke S, Okan O. Digitale Gesundheitskompetenz – Konzeptionelle Verortung, Erfassung und Förderung mit Fokus auf Kinder und Jugendliche. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz. 2020;63(2):176-184

Generic health literacy measurement instruments for children and adolescents:a systematic review of the literature

Background Health literacy is an important health promotion concern and recently children and adolescents have been the focus of increased academic attention. To assess the health literacy of this population, researchers have been focussing on developing instruments to measure their health literacy. Compared to the wider availability of instruments for adults, only a few tools are known for younger age groups. The objective of this study is to systematically review the field of generic child and adolescent health literacy measurement instruments that are currently available. Method A systematic literature search was undertaken in five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycNET, ERIC, and FIS) on articles published between January 1990 and July 2015, addressing children and adolescents ?18 years old. Eligible articles were analysed, data was extracted, and synthesised according to review objectives. Results Fifteen generic health literacy measurement instruments for children and adolescents were identified. All, except two, are self-administered instruments. Seven are objective measures (performance-based tests), seven are subjective measures (self-reporting), and one uses a mixed-method measurement. Most instruments applied a broad and multidimensional understanding of health literacy. The instruments were developed in eight different countries, with most tools originating in the United States (n =?6). Among the instruments, 31 different components related to health literacy were identified. Accordingly, the studies exhibit a variety of implicit or explicit conceptual and operational definitions, and most instruments have been used in schools and other educational contexts. While the youngest age group studied was 7-year-old children within a parent-child study, there is only one instrument specifically designed for primary school children and none for early years. Conclusions Despite the reported paucity of health literacy research involving children and adolescents, an unexpected number of health literacy measurement studies in children?s populations was found. Most instruments tend to measure their own specific understanding of health literacy and not all provide sufficient conceptual information. To advance health literacy instruments, a much more standardised approach is necessary including improved reporting on the development and validation processes. Further research is required to improve health literacy instruments for children and adolescents and to provide knowledge to inform effective interventionspublishersversionPeer reviewe

Differenzen in der Wahrnehmung präventiver Angebote und von Elternpartizipation im Setting Kita : eine Analyse der Wechselwirkung schicht- und migrationsspezifischer Einflüsse

Sahrai D. Differenzen in der Wahrnehmung präventiver Angebote und von Elternpartizipation im Setting Kita : eine Analyse der Wechselwirkung schicht- und migrationsspezifischer Einflüsse. Bielefeld (Germany): Bielefeld University; 2010.Die hier vorgelegte Dissertation versteht sich als einen Beitrag zum besseren Verständnis gesundheitlicher Ungleichheiten im Bereich Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung in Public Health. Ausgangspunkt der Arbeit bildet die in Public Health bekannte Diagnose des Präventionsdilemmas, die den Umstand beschreibt, dass sozial benachteiligte Gruppen seltener Maßnahmen und Angebote der Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung in Anspruch nehmen als soziale Gruppen aus der Mittelschicht, obwohl sie von diesen besonders gut profitieren würden. Dieser Umstand führt zu Persistenz und gar zur Vergrößerung gesundheitlicher Ungleichheiten. In dieser Arbeit wird diese "präventive Ungleichheit" für den Bereich der Vorsorgeuntersuchungen und der Elternpartizipation im Setting Kita genauer unter die Lupe genommen. Dabei wird u. a. der Frage nachgegangen, inwieweit und unter welchen Umständen die in der Public Health verbreiteten und zur Überwindung des Präventionsdilemmas als erfolgversprechend geltenden Strategien der Settinganbindung einerseits und des zielgruppenspezifischen Zugangs andererseits in der Lage sind, Ungleichheiten in der Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung zu reduzieren. Besonderer Fokus wird auf die genaue Bestimmung und Definierung der Zielgruppen gelegt, denn dies wird als eine wichtige Bedingung der Möglichkeit erachtet, um genau die präventiven Bedarfe der entsprechenden Zielgruppen zu erheben und dann anschließend angemessene politische und praktische Maßnahmen zu initiieren. Dabei werden die beiden Kategorien Schichtzugehörigkeit und Migrationshintergrund als besonders relevante Kategorien der Zielgruppenbestimmung für Public Health erachtet, weil diese so eine These der Arbeit am stärksten ungleichheitsgenerierend wirken. Aus diesem Grund wird im empirischen Teil der Arbeit eine zweidimensionale Auswertungslogik entlang der beiden Strukturdimensionen soziale Schichtzugehörigkeit und Migrationshintergrund gewählt. Die empirischen Ergebnisse zeigen, dass bei der Inanspruchnahme und der Bewertung der Vorsorgeuntersuchungen für Kinder, für die Wahrnehmung präventiver Programme im Setting Kita sowie in der Elternpartizipation im Setting Kita Differenzen entlang der beiden Dimensionen Schicht und Migration festzustellen sind. Als ein wichtiges Ergebnis für das Verständnis gesundheitlicher Ungleichheiten in der Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung kann festgehalten werden, dass in vielen Bereichen lediglich die Gruppe der Eltern mit Migrationshintergrund aus den unteren sozialen Schichten (und nicht Migranteneltern prinzipiell) sich als außerordentlich vulnerabel erweist. Neben der Berücksichtigung der sozialen Schichtzugehörigkeit und damit zusammenhängend ungleicher Ressourcenausstattung wird in dieser Arbeit ebenfalls für die Berücksichtigung kultureller Differenzen und Migrationseffekten zu Beschreibung, Erklärung und Reduzierung gesundheitlicher Ungleichheiten plädiert

Ökonomisch-rationales Handeln als normatives Leitbild der Gesundheitspolitik

Gerlinger T, Stegmüller K. Ökonomisch-rationales Handeln als normatives Leitbild der Gesundheitspolitik. In: Bittlingmayer UH, Sahrai D, Schnabel P-E, eds. Normativität und Public Health: Vergessene Dimensionen gesundheitlicher Ungleichheit. Wiesbaden: Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften; 2009: 135-161

VorBild - Politische Bildung für Förderschulen - Zielgruppenspezifische Unterrichtsmodule (DVD)

Bittlingmayer U, Hurrelmann K, Sahrai D, Schilling T, Seige C, Stiller K-T. VorBild - Politische Bildung für Förderschulen - Zielgruppenspezifische Unterrichtsmodule (DVD). Vol DVD. Ein Kooperationsprojekt der Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung und der Universität Bielefeld; 2010

Health literacy in childhood and youth: a systematic review of definitions and models

Background Children and young people constitute a core target group for health literacy research and practice: during childhood and youth, fundamental cognitive, physical and emotional development processes take place and health-related behaviours and skills develop. However, there is limited knowledge and academic consensus regarding the abilities and knowledge a child or young person should possess for making sound health decisions. The research presented in this review addresses this gap by providing an overview and synthesis of current understandings of health literacy in childhood and youth. Furthermore, the authors aim to understand to what extent available models capture the unique needs and characteristics of children and young people. Method Six databases were systematically searched with relevant search terms in English and German. Of the n = 1492 publications identified, N = 1021 entered the abstract screening and N = 340 full-texts were screened for eligibility. A total of 30 articles, which defined or conceptualized generic health literacy for a target population of 18 years or younger, were selected for a four-step inductive content analysis. Results The systematic review of the literature identified 12 definitions and 21 models that have been specifically developed for children and young people. In the literature, health literacy in children and young people is described as comprising variable sets of key dimensions, each appearing as a cluster of related abilities, skills, commitments, and knowledge that enable a person to approach health information competently and effectively and to derive at health-promoting decisions and actions. Discussion Identified definitions and models are very heterogeneous, depicting health literacy as multidimensional, complex construct. Moreover, health literacy is conceptualized as an action competence, with a strong focus on personal attributes, while also recognising its interrelatedness with social and contextual determinants. Life phase specificities are mainly considered from a cognitive and developmental perspective, leaving children’s and young people’s specific needs, vulnerabilities, and social structures poorly incorporated within most models. While a critical number of definitions and models were identified for youth or secondary school students, similar findings are lacking for children under the age of ten or within a primary school context.CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, IE, UMinho (FCT R&D unit 317), Portugal; National Funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) and co-financed by European Regional Development Funds (FEDER) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (POCI) through CIEC (Research Centre on Child Studies, of the University of Minho) with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio