Adapting the HLS-EU questionnaire for children aged 9 to 10. Exploring factorial validity

Bollweg TM, Okan O, Bröder J, Bauer U, Pinheiro P. Adapting the HLS-EU questionnaire for children aged 9 to 10. Exploring factorial validity. In: European Journal of Public Health. Vol 28. Oxford University Press (OUP); 2018: 219-219

Child and Youth Health Literacy: A Conceptual Analysis and Proposed Target-Group-Centred Definition.

Bröder J, Okan O, Bollweg TM, Bruland D, Pinheiro P, Bauer U. Child and Youth Health Literacy: A Conceptual Analysis and Proposed Target-Group-Centred Definition. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2019;16(18): 3417.(1) Background: This article adopts an interdisciplinary perspective to analyse, examine, and reflect upon prominent health literacy (HL) understandings in childhood and youth. (2) Method: The conceptual analysis combined Rodgers' and Jabareen's approaches to conceptual analysis in eight phases. (3) Results: First, we present exploratory entry points for developing a child-specific HL understanding based on the six dimensions of a 'health-literacy 6D model'. Second, we describe and reflect upon five meta-level dimensions covering the HL definitions and models for children and youth found in the conceptual analysis. Third, we integrate our findings into a target-group-centred HL definition for children and youth. (4) Discussion/Conclusion: This article raises awareness for the heterogeneity of the current conceptual HL debate. It offers a multidisciplinary approach for advancing the existing understanding of HL. Four recommendations for future actions are deduced from the following four principles, which are inherent to the proposed target-group-centred HL definition: (a) to characterize HL from an asset-based perspective, (b) to consider HL as socially embedded and distributed, (c) to recognize that HL develops both in phases and in flexible ways, and (d) to consider the multimodal nature of health-related information. Further research is necessary to test the feasibility and applicability of the proposed definition and conceptual understanding in both research and practice

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

Health literacy in childhood and adolescence: particularities in available understandings

Bröder J. Health literacy in childhood and adolescence: particularities in available understandings. European Journal of Public Health. 2017;27(Suppl. 3): ckx187.545

Health literacy of children and adolescents: Conceptual approaches and developmental considerations

The interest in children and adolescents’ health literacy has strongly increased in recent years (Ormshaw et al, 2013; Bröder et al, 2017). Childhood and adolescence are life phases in which major physical, cognitive and emotional development processes take place. Likewise, health-promoting attitudes, beliefs and behaviours surface in these life phases, and can be supported by meeting children and adolescents’ information needs and fostering their active involvement in their own health. Therefore, addressing health literacy from an early age onwards is argued to be a promising investment in children’s health and wellbeing now and throughout their adolescence and adult lives (Borzekowski, 2009; Sanders et al, 2009; Velardo and Drummond, 2016).The health literacy concept is multifaceted, with diverse conceptual understandings. Sørensen and colleagues (2012, p 3) define health literacy as ‘being linked to literacy and entail[ing] people’s knowledge, motivation and competences to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information in order to make judgments and take decisions in everyday life concerning healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion to maintain or improve quality of life during the life course.’As for adults, there are various health literacy conceptualisations and definitions addressed to children and adolescents, prominently addressed as outcomes of school health education (Joint Committee on National Health Education Standards, 1995; Paakkari and Paakkari, 2012) or through the focus on their parents or care takers’ health literacy (DeWalt and Hink, 2009; Connelly and Turner, 2017). Moreover, there is limited evidence available regarding their fit and appropriateness for the target group, given their life phase-specific particularities and needs (Bröder et al, 2017). Indeed, Fairbrother and colleagues (2016) have revealed gaps in understanding not only ‘what’ health literacy (skills) children and adolescents have and develop in the different life phases, but also ‘how’ they actually interact with health-related information in their everyday lives. Similarly, Velardo and Drummond (2016) stress the need to bring forward a child-centred health literacy understanding that integrates children’s understanding, attitudes and choices related to health and health-related information.The purpose of this chapter is, therefore, to highlight life phase particularities for health literacy by exploring children and adolescents’ health literacy from development-focused perspectives.Portuguese national funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the framework of the CIEC (Research Center for Child Studies of the University of Minho) project under the reference UID/CED/00317/2019

Im Dialog: Aktuelle Perspektiven zu Theorien & Messmethoden der Health Literacy

Sørensen K, Pelikan J, Bröder J, Bollweg TM. Im Dialog: Aktuelle Perspektiven zu Theorien & Messmethoden der Health Literacy. In: Bollweg TM, Bröder J, Pinheiro P, eds. Health Literacy im Kindes- und Jugendalter. Ein- und Ausblicke. Gesundheit und Gesellschaft. Wiesbaden: Springer VS; 2020: 117-142

Health Literacy and People with Intellectual Disabilities: What We Know, What We Do Not Know, and What We Need: A Theoretical Discourse

Although health literacy is widely discussed and many heterogeneous conceptualizations exist, people with intellectual disabilities have remained largely unconsidered. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to analyze the particularities of this target group and discuss and consider implications that arise when conceptualizing the health literacy of people with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, we explore relevant approaches from multiple disciplines and examine their transferability to a conceptual understanding of health literacy for people with intellectual disabilities. For future directions we identified three main dimensions: (1) disentangle health literacy from empowerment; (2) apply a positive, asset-based focus to health literacy; and (3) focus on health literacy as a distributed resource across individuals and their individual life-world

Health Literacy and People with Intellectual Disabilities: What We Know, What We Do Not Know, and What We Need: A Theoretical Discourse.

Geukes C, Bröder J, Latteck Ä-D. Health Literacy and People with Intellectual Disabilities: What We Know, What We Do Not Know, and What We Need: A Theoretical Discourse. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2019;16(3): 463.Although health literacy is widely discussed and many heterogeneous conceptualizations exist, people with intellectual disabilities have remained largely unconsidered. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to analyze the particularities of this target group and discuss and consider implications that arise when conceptualizing the health literacy of people with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, we explore relevant approaches from multiple disciplines and examine their transferability to a conceptual understanding of health literacy for people with intellectual disabilities. For future directions we identified three main dimensions: (1) disentangle health literacy from empowerment; (2) apply a positive, asset-based focus to health literacy; and (3) focus on health literacy as a distributed resource across individuals and their individual life-world

Children and adolescents’ health literacy: development-related considerations

Das Interesse an Health Literacy ist in den letzten Jahren stark gestiegen. Zugleich sind Kinder und Jugendliche als Zielgruppe mehr und mehr in den Fokus der Health Literacy-Forschung und -Praxis gerückt. Kindheit und Jugend sind Lebensphasen, in denen für das gesamte Leben entscheidende biologische, kognitive, psychologische, emotionale und soziale Entwicklungsprozesse stattfinden. Ebenso entwickeln sich breits in diesen Lebensphasen gesundheitsfördernde Einstellungen, Überzeugungen und Verhaltensweisen, und können unterstützt werden, indem den Informationsbedürfnissen von Kindern und Jugendlichen entsprochen und ihre aktive Mitwirkung an der eigenen Gesundheit gefördert wird. Daher wird die Auseinandersetzung mit Health Literacy von klein auf als vielversprechende Investition in die Gesundheit und das Wohlbefinden von Kindern heute und in ihrem gesamten Jugend- und Erwachsenenleben angesehen.Portuguese national funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the framework of the CIEC (Research Center for Child Studies of the University of Minho) project under the reference UIDB/00317/202