The Health Literacy of First Year Physiotherapy and Speech Pathology Students and Their Perceived Future Roles in Supporting Their Clients’ Health Literacy

Romany Martin (), Jade Cartwright and Marie-Louise Bird
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Romany Martin: School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Jade Cartwright: School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Marie-Louise Bird: School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Allied health professionals are well positioned to assess and support their clients’ health literacy (HL); however, they report being deficient in HL knowledge and skills. Objective: To explore allied health students’ HL and their perceptions of their roles in supporting clients’ HL. Design: A mixed-methods cross-sectional study was undertaken in August 2022 amongst allied health students enrolled in graduate-entry masters programs at the University of Tasmania. Data collected included the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) ( n = 30) and qualitative telephone interviews ( n = 6). Results: Allied health students’ confidence in the knowledge domain of the HLQ was rated as 28.57 from a maximum possible score of 50. Similarly, the students’ confidence in the skills domain of the HLQ was rated as 14.87 from a maximum possible score of 25. Four themes were generated from the qualitative interviews: (1) valuing HL, (2) an innate part of their future roles, (3) contributors to their own HL, and (4) advocacy and their decision to study allied health. Conclusion: This study provides a preliminary insight into the HL of allied health students and highlights the strong perception held by allied health students that supporting clients’ HL is a large component of their future roles.

Keywords: health literacy; allied health; health promotion; physiotherapy; speech pathology; Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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