Unpacking the Public Health Triad of Social Inequality in Health, Health Literacy, and Quality of Life—A Scoping Review of Research Characteristics

Heidi Holmen (), Tone Flølo, Christine Tørris, Borghild Løyland, Kari Almendingen, Ann Kristin Bjørnnes, Elena Albertini Früh, Ellen Karine Grov, Sølvi Helseth, Lisbeth Gravdal Kvarme, Rosah Malambo, Nina Misvær, Anurajee Rasalingam, Kirsti Riiser, Ida Hellum Sandbekken, Ana Carla Schippert, Bente Sparboe-Nilsen, Turid Kristin Bigum Sundar, Torill Sæterstrand, Inger Utne, Lisbeth Valla, Anette Winger and Astrid Torbjørnsen
Additional contact information
Heidi Holmen: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Tone Flølo: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Christine Tørris: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Borghild Løyland: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Kari Almendingen: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Ann Kristin Bjørnnes: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Elena Albertini Früh: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Ellen Karine Grov: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Sølvi Helseth: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Lisbeth Gravdal Kvarme: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Rosah Malambo: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Nina Misvær: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Anurajee Rasalingam: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Kirsti Riiser: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Ida Hellum Sandbekken: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Ana Carla Schippert: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Bente Sparboe-Nilsen: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Turid Kristin Bigum Sundar: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Torill Sæterstrand: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Inger Utne: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Lisbeth Valla: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Anette Winger: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Astrid Torbjørnsen: Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 21, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Social inequalities in health, health literacy, and quality of life serve as distinct public health indicators, but it remains unclear how and to what extent they are applied and combined in the literature. Thus, the characteristics of the research have yet to be established, and we aim to identify and describe the characteristics of research that intersects social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life. We conducted a scoping review with systematic searches in ten databases. Studies applying any design in any population were eligible if social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life were combined. Citations were independently screened using Covidence. The search yielded 4111 citations, with 73 eligible reports. The reviewed research was mostly quantitative and aimed at patient populations in a community setting, with a scarcity of reports specifically defining and assessing social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life, and with only 2/73 citations providing a definition for all three. The published research combining social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life is heterogeneous regarding research designs, populations, contexts, and geography, where social inequality appears as a contextualizing variable.

Keywords: social inequality in health; health literacy; quality of life; health promotion; public health (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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