A Multilingual Integrative Review of Health Literacy in Former Soviet Union, Russian-Speaking Immigrants

Uliana Kostareva, Cheryl L. Albright, Eva-Maria Berens, Patricia Polansky, Deborah E. Kadish, Luba L. Ivanov and Tetine L. Sentell
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Uliana Kostareva: School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Cheryl L. Albright: School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Eva-Maria Berens: Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Literacy Research, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
Patricia Polansky: Hamilton Library Russian Bibliographer, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Deborah E. Kadish: Center for Evaluation of Health Promotion Interventions, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 31000, Israel
Luba L. Ivanov: Chamberlain College of Nursing, Chamberlain University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA
Tetine L. Sentell: Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: Large diasporas of former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants are found in the USA, Germany, and Israel. To synthesize evidence, identify limitations, and propose future directions we conducted an integrative review on the health literacy of FSU immigrants, migrants, or refugees in four languages. Following integrative review and PRISMA guidelines, we searched four databases in English and performed supplementary searches in Russian, German, and Hebrew to identify qualitative and quantitative studies on FSU immigrants and health literacy. Six articles met inclusion criteria in English and one in German; the majority were published in the last five years. Only two articles measured health literacy of FSU immigrants, which was lower than the general population. Four articles were about immigrants with a mean age ≥50 years. All articles stressed the value of translated, culturally relevant health information. The health literacy of FSU immigrants is understudied, despite clear needs. Future research should include assessments of FSU immigrants’ health literacy and include diverse (e.g., age, gender) yet well-defined populations to determine both barriers and facilitators to their health literacy. This review, an example of a multilingual search, provided a comprehensive understanding of existing literature and is a useful approach for global health literacy research.

Keywords: health literacy; healthcare system; immigrant/migrant/refugee; cultural and linguistic care practices; patient education (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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