Gesundheitskompetenz im Kindes- und Jugendalter: Bestandsaufnahme und Analyse der konzeptionellen und methodischen Erforschung

Okan O. Gesundheitskompetenz im Kindes- und Jugendalter: Bestandsaufnahme und Analyse der konzeptionellen und methodischen Erforschung . Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld; 2020

Measuring children’s health literacy. Current approaches and challenges

Bollweg TM, Okan O. Measuring children’s health literacy. Current approaches and challenges. In: Okan O, Bauer U, Levin-Zamir D, Pinheiro P, Sørensen K, eds. International handbook of health literacy. Research, practice and policy across the life-span. Bristol: Policy Press; 2019: 83-97

Making a Case for "Education for Health Literacy": An International Perspective.

Vamos S, Okan O, Sentell T, Rootman I. Making a Case for "Education for Health Literacy": An International Perspective. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020;17(4): 1436.In many countries, health literacy research, practice, and policy have been moving away from a focus only on medical care and health-care settings to a much broader conceptualization. In this broader perspective, health literacy can be obtained and used across many other settings (e.g., school, home, workplaces, government) towards achieving health and wellness goals across the life-course for individuals, families, and communities. The education sector is a critical domain towards these achievements and education for health literacy is a fundamental process and outcome. This can help towards important public health goals, including critical health literacy, as oriented not only towards individual actions, but also towards supporting effective social and political action. This Perspective Article describes the importance and utility of the education for health literacy perspective, which, follows a view that health literacy is a key outcome of health education from which improved population health, health promotion and disease prevention could be achieved across diverse contexts. We first describe different educational paradigms to address health literacy and clarify the education for health literacy perspective as a supportive, instructional and capacity-building global resource across the life-course. Then, using specific examples from Canada, America, and Germany, we provide a snapshot of the diverse ways in which the education for health literacy perspective can be found in national policies. These include broad national goals and standards (Germany and Canada) and major health care reform (America). We next consider the tensions and gaps that can arise in the translation and implementation of these policies relative to the ideal education for health literacy perspective, especially related to equity. These include the need for funding, goals of the educational system, and limited evaluation of policy in practice. Finally, we highlight strategic opportunities to achieve education for health literacy and equity especially offering examples from innovative practice in Canada across the lifespan

Measuring Mental Health Literacy of Teacher: A Pilot Study

Almeida A, Pinheiro P, Okan O, Pereira A, Mesquita E. Measuring Mental Health Literacy of Teacher: A Pilot Study. International Journal of Case Studies. 2017;5(12):35-40

International Handbook of Health Literacy : Research, practice and policy across the lifespan

Okan O, Bauer U, Levin-Zamir D, Pinheiro P, Sørensen K, eds. International Handbook of Health Literacy : Research, practice and policy across the lifespan. Bristol: Policy Press, University of Bristol; 2019

Addressing health literacy in schools in the WHO European Region

Paakkari L, Inchley J, Anette S, Weber MW, Okan O. Addressing health literacy in schools in the WHO European Region. Public health panorama. 2019;5(2-3):186-190

Integration von Geschlechterperspektiven in Verbundvorhaben am Beispiel der ersten Förderphase des BMBF-Verbundes Health Literacy in Childhood and Adolescence (HLCA) (2015-2018)

Jochimsen MA, Hendricks J, Okan O. Integration von Geschlechterperspektiven in Verbundvorhaben am Beispiel der ersten Förderphase des BMBF-Verbundes Health Literacy in Childhood and Adolescence (HLCA) (2015-2018). IZGOnZeit. Onlinezeitschrift des Interdisziplinären Zentrums für Geschlechterforschung (IZG). 2018;7:85-93

The Importance of School Leaders' Attitudes and Health Literacy to the Implementation of a Health-Promoting Schools Approach.

Schools are considered as important settings for health education and the promotion of functioning, healthy people. Health-promoting schools (HPS) take a holistic approach to health promotion that addresses all school levels and members of the school community. Although it is assumed that school leaders are crucial in the implementation of HPS, little is known so far about which specific factors are relevant. The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of school leaders' attitudes, health literacy, and health status in HPS implementation. An online survey was conducted in June 2021, and the final sample consisted of N = 358 school leaders. Regression and moderation analyses were conducted to answer the research questions. The results showed the relevance of health literacy and attitudes toward HPS for the implementation of HPS. By contrast, only some aspects of health status are relevant. Attitudes toward HPS moderate the effect of health literacy on HPS implementation, with positive attitudes toward HPS amplifying the effect. Implications for practice and future research are discussed

2. Internationales Symposium Gesundheitskompetenz – Forschung, Praxis, Politik. 2./3. Mai 2019. Abstractband

Schaeffer D, Berens E-M, Bauer U, Okan O, eds. 2. Internationales Symposium Gesundheitskompetenz – Forschung, Praxis, Politik. 2./3. Mai 2019. Abstractband. Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld; 2019

eHealth Literacy and Web-Based Health Information-Seeking Behaviors on COVID-19 in Japan: Internet-Based Mixed Methods Study

コロナ禍におけるウェブ検索とヘルスリテラシー --パンデミック時のフェイク情報対策に向けて--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-07-17.Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, much misinformation and disinformation emerged and spread rapidly via the internet, posing a severe public health challenge. While the need for eHealth literacy (eHL) has been emphasized, few studies have compared the difficulties involved in seeking and using COVID-19 information between adult internet users with low or high eHL. Objective: This study examines the association between eHL and web-based health information–seeking behaviors among adult Japanese internet users. Moreover, this study qualitatively shed light on the difficulties encountered in seeking and using this information and examined its relationship with eHL. Methods: This cross-sectional internet-based survey (October 2021) collected data from 6000 adult internet users who were equally divided into sample groups by gender, age, and income. We used the Japanese version of the eHL Scale (eHEALS). We also used a Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI) adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic to assess eHL after we translated it to Japanese. Web-based health information–seeking behaviors were assessed by using a 10-item list of web sources and evaluating 10 topics participants searched for regarding COVID-19. Sociodemographic and other factors (eg, health-related behavior) were selected as covariates. Furthermore, we qualitatively explored the difficulties in information seeking and using. The descriptive contents of the responses regarding difficulties in seeking and using COVID-19 information were analyzed using an inductive qualitative content analysis approach. Results: Participants with high eHEALS and DHLI scores on information searching, adding self-generated information, evaluating reliability, determining relevance, and operational skills were more likely to use all web sources of information about COVID-19 than those with low scores. However, there were negative associations between navigation skills and privacy protection scores when using several information sources, such as YouTube (Google LLC), to search for COVID-19 information. While half of the participants reported no difficulty seeking and using COVID-19 information, participants who reported any difficulties, including information discernment, incomprehensible information, information overload, and disinformation, had lower DHLI score. Participants expressed significant concerns regarding “information quality and credibility, ” “abundance and shortage of relevant information, ” “public trust and skepticism, ” and “credibility of COVID-19–related information.” Additionally, they disclosed more specific concerns, including “privacy and security concerns, ” “information retrieval challenges, ” “anxieties and panic, ” and “movement restriction.” Conclusions: Although Japanese internet users with higher eHEALS and total DHLI scores were more actively using various web sources for COVID-19 information, those with high navigation skills and privacy protection used web-based information about COVID-19 cautiously compared with those with lower proficiency. The study also highlighted an increased need for information discernment when using social networking sites in the “Health 2.0” era. The identified categories and themes from the qualitative content analysis, such as “information quality and credibility, ” suggest a framework for addressing the myriad challenges anticipated in future infodemics