Strengthening Critical Health Literacy for Health Information Appraisal: An Approach from Argumentation Theory

Sara Rubinelli, Alexander Ort, Claudia Zanini, Maddalena Fiordelli and Nicola Diviani
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Sara Rubinelli: Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Luzern, Switzerland
Alexander Ort: Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Luzern, Switzerland
Claudia Zanini: Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Luzern, Switzerland
Maddalena Fiordelli: Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
Nicola Diviani: Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, 6002 Luzern, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-10

Abstract: The overload of health information has been a major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health authorities play a primary role in managing this information. However, individuals have to apply critical health literacy to evaluate it. The objective of this paper is to identify targets for strengthening critical health literacy by focusing on the field of argumentation theory. This paper is based on the textual analysis of instances of health information through the lens of argumentation theory. The results show that critical health literacy benefits from: (1) understanding the concept of argument and the supporting reasons, (2) identifying the main argument schemes, and (3) the knowledge and use of the main critical questions to check the soundness of arguments. This study operationalizes the main aspects of critical health literacy. It calls for specific educational and training initiatives in the field. Moreover, it argues in favor of broadening the current educational curricula to empower individuals to engage in informed and quality decision making. Strengthening individuals’ critical health literacy involves interventions to empower in argument evaluation. For this purpose, argumentation theory has analytical and normative frameworks that can be adapted within a lay-audience education concept.

Keywords: health information; disinformation; misinformation; health literacy; critical health literacy; health communication; argumentation theory; information appraisal; critical thinking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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