How Do Primary Care Organizations Rate Their Level of Organizational Health Literacy? Results of a Swiss Pilot-Study

Anna-Sophia Beese, Dunja Nicca, Rebecca Jaks, Natascha Stuermer and Saskia Maria De Gani ()
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Anna-Sophia Beese: Center for Health Literacy, Careum Foundation, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Dunja Nicca: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
Rebecca Jaks: Center for Health Literacy, Careum Foundation, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Natascha Stuermer: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
Saskia Maria De Gani: Center for Health Literacy, Careum Foundation, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Primary care organizations offer a suitable setting to promote organizational health literacy (OHL) since they are a crucial interface for patients and clients. However, a clear picture on the OHL situation in primary care is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess OHL in Swiss primary care organizations by evaluating (i) how they rate their level of OHL and which improvement measures they accordingly plan (organizational level), (ii) what knowledge and attitudes among health professionals in primary care regarding OHL exist (individual level) and (iii) how teams working in general practitioners’ practices and a home care service organization differ regarding OHL (organizational and individual level). The research design included an online survey ( N = 74, health professionals) on the individual level and a checklist and intervention documentation ( N = 10, primary care teams) on the organizational level. The study reveals a crucial demand regarding organizationally embedded OHL practices in the participating primary care teams, despite a rather comprehensive understanding of the concept. The greatest need for action was identified in strengthening health literacy of staff members, which underlines the necessity to develop interventions to systematically strengthen the health literacy of health professionals.

Keywords: health literacy; health literate organization; self-assessment tool; primary care; organizational health literacy; health professionals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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