Review of Organizational Health Literacy Practice at Health Care Centers: Outcomes, Barriers and Facilitators

Elham Charoghchian Khorasani, Seyedeh Belin Tavakoly Sany, Hadi Tehrani, Hassan Doosti and Nooshin Peyman
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Elham Charoghchian Khorasani: Health Education and Promotion, Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 13131–99137 Mashhad, Iran
Seyedeh Belin Tavakoly Sany: Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 13131–99137 Mashhad, Iran
Hadi Tehrani: Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 13131–99137 Mashhad, Iran
Hassan Doosti: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Macquarie University, 2109 Sydney, Australia
Nooshin Peyman: Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 13131–99137 Mashhad, Iran

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: The term organizational health literacy (OHL) is a new concept that emerged to address the challenge of predominantly in patients with limited health literacy (HL). There is no consensus on how OHL can improve HL activities and health outcomes in healthcare organizations. In this study, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to understand the evidence for the effectiveness of OHL and its health outcome, and the facilitators and barriers that influence the implementation of OHL. A literature search was done using six databases, the gray literature method and reference hand searches. Thirteen potentially articles with data on 1254 health organizations were included. Eight self-assessment tools and ten OHL attributes have been identified. Eleven quality-improvement characteristics and 15 key barriers were reviewed. Evidence on the effectiveness of HL tools provides best practices and recommendations to enhance OHL capacities. Results indicated that shifting to a comprehensive OHL would likely be a complex process because HL is not usually integrated into the healthcare organization’s vision and strategic planning. Further development of OHL requires radical, simultaneous, and multiple changes. Thus, there is a need for the healthcare system to consider HL as an organizational priority, that is, be responsive.

Keywords: organizational health literacy; health literacy; health outcome; quality improvement; barriers; public health; health-literate healthcare service (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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