Universität zu Köln

Altin, Sibel Vildan, Finke, Isabelle ORCID: 0000-0002-0620-4819, Kautz-Freimuth, Sibylle and Stock, Stephanie (2014). The evolution of health literacy assessment tools: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 14. LONDON: BIOMED CENTRAL LTD. ISSN 1471-2458

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Abstract

Background: Health literacy (HL) is seen as an increasingly relevant issue for global public health and requires a reliable and comprehensive operationalization. By now, there is limited evidence on how the development of tools measuring HL proceeded in recent years and if scholars considered existing methodological guidance when developing an instrument. Methods: We performed a systematic review of generic measurement tools developed to assess HL by searching PubMed, ERIC, CINAHL and Web of Knowledge (2009 forward). Two reviewers independently reviewed abstracts/full text articles for inclusion according to predefined criteria. Additionally we conducted a reporting quality appraisal according to the survey reporting guideline SURGE. Results: We identified 17 articles reporting on the development and validation of 17 instruments measuring health literacy. More than two thirds of all instruments are based on a multidimensional construct of health literacy. Moreover, there is a trend towards a mixed measurement (self-report and direct test) of health literacy with 41% of instruments applying it, though results strongly indicate a weakness of coherence between the underlying constructs measured. Overall, almost every third instrument is based on assessment formats modeled on already existing functional literacy screeners such as the REALM or the TOFHLA and 30% of the included articles do not report on significant reporting features specified in the SURGE guideline. Conclusions: Scholars recently developing instruments that measure health literacy mainly comply with recommendations of the academic circle by applying multidimensional constructs and mixing up measurement approaches to capture health literacy comprehensively. Nonetheless, there is still a dependence on assessment formats, rooted in functional literacy measurement contradicting the widespread call for new instruments. All things considered, there is no clear consensus on HL measurement but a convergence to more comprehensive tools. Giving attention to this finding can help to offer direction towards the development of comparable and reliable health literacy assessment tools that effectively respond to the informational needs of populations.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Altin, Sibel Vildan UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Finke, Isabelle UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-0620-4819 UNSPECIFIED Kautz-Freimuth, Sibylle UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Stock, Stephanie UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-423060
DOI:	10.1186/1471-2458-14-1207
Journal or Publication Title:	BMC Public Health
Volume:	14
Date:	2014
Publisher:	BIOMED CENTRAL LTD
Place of Publication:	LONDON
ISSN:	1471-2458
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION; EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT; NUMERACY SCALE; SHORT-FORM; INSTRUMENT; VALIDATION; ADULTS; SKILLS; CARE; ADOLESCENTS Multiple languages Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/42306