Dataset Information

Online Survey for the Assessment of Generic Health Literacy among Adolescents in Germany (GeKoJu): Study Protocol.

ABSTRACT: The promotion of health literacy at a young age can protect, maintain and improve health across the life course. Yet to date, a sound data basis on adolescent health literacy as a requirement for the development of strategies to promote health literacy has not been given. This paper presents a study protocol for the online survey "Health Literacy Among Adolescents" (GeKoJu) that collects the first nation-wide representative data on self-reported generic health among adolescents aged 14-17 years in Germany. The objectives of the survey are (1) to assess the distribution of generic health literacy among adolescents in Germany, (2) to identify socio-demographic and social factors in regard to health literacy and (3) to assess the association of health literacy and health-related outcomes. The cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 2019 through December 2019. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling strategy was applied. Individuals invited to participate in the survey (N = 6608) were randomly selected among German-speaking adolescents aged 14-17 years, with permanent residence in Germany. Generic health literacy is measured with the "Measurement of Health Literacy Among Adolescents-Questionnaire" (MOHLAA-Q). Data collection also covers questions on health behavior, subjective health status, personal and social resources, socio-demographic and social factors and health services use. Results of the GeKoJu survey will provide data for the development of strategies to promote generic health literacy among families, in schools, communities and health care.

SUBMITTER: Loer AM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7084343 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Online Survey for the Assessment of Generic Health Literacy among Adolescents in Germany (GeKoJu): Study Protocol.

Loer Anne-Kathrin M AM Domanska Olga Maria OM Kuhnert Ronny R Houben Robin R Albrecht Stefan S Jordan Susanne S

International journal of environmental research and public health 20200227 5

The promotion of health literacy at a young age can protect, maintain and improve health across the life course. Yet to date, a sound data basis on adolescent health literacy as a requirement for the development of strategies to promote health literacy has not been given. This paper presents a study protocol for the online survey "Health Literacy Among Adolescents" (GeKoJu) that collects the first nation-wide representative data on self-reported generic health among adolescents aged 14-17 years ...[more]

PMID: 32120870

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundHealth literacy enables people to cope efficiently with health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about health literacy among adolescents in general and especially in the context of pandemics. This study aimed to explore pandemic-related health literacy among adolescents by addressing cognitive, behavioral, conative, and affective components of the multidimensional health literacy construct.MethodsFour online focus groups with 24 adolescents aged 13-17 years from four German federal states were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in May and June 2021. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsRegarding the cognitive and behavioral components of pandemic-related health literacy, adolescents reported to use a broad range of traditional and digital media and personal information sources. The adolescents considered pandemic-related information to be good and easy to understand, when the information is presented in a concise and structured manner. The participants stated difficulties in finding, understanding, and evaluating pandemic-related information regarding particular protective measures. The adolescents described themselves to be critical when evaluating pandemic-related information and reported a high level of adherence to protective measures. Regarding the conative and affective components of health literacy, the adolescents explained that their wish to protect their loved ones from getting infected was the predominant motive for adherence to protective measures. They were convinced that people of their age play a role in pandemic containment. The adolescents reported sometimes making exceptions from adhering to protective measures to cope with negative feelings they experienced during the pandemic.ConclusionsThis study provides insights on how measures to improve pandemic-related health literacy among adolescents may be tailored to their needs. Prompt, concise, structured, and comprehensible preparation and communication of pandemic-related information in addition to educational efforts to strengthen health-related cognitive skills and critical health literacy may be supportive to reduce barriers in finding, understanding, and evaluating pandemic-related content.

Project description:BackgroundThe increasing amount of health information available on the internet makes it more important than ever to ensure that people can judge the accuracy of this information to prevent them from harm. It may be possible for platforms to set up protective mechanisms depending on the level of digital health literacy and thereby to decrease the possibility of harm by the misuse of health information.ObjectiveThis study aimed to create an instrument for digital health literacy assessment (DHLA) based on the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) to categorize participants by level of risk of misinterpreting health information into high-, medium-, and low-risk groups.MethodsThis study developed a DHLA and constructed an online health information bank with correct and incorrect answers. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to detect the cutoff value of DHLA, using 5 items randomly selected from the online health information bank, to classify users as being at low, medium, or high risk of misjudging health information. This provided information about the relationship between risk group for digital health literacy and accurate judgement of online health information. The study participants were Taiwanese residents aged 20 years and older. Snowball sampling was used, and internet questionnaires were anonymously completed by the participants. The reliability and validity of DHLA were examined. Logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with risk groups from the DHLA.ResultsThis study collected 1588 valid questionnaires. The online health information bank included 310 items of health information, which were classified as easy (147 items), moderate (122 items), or difficult (41 items) based on the difficulty of judging their accuracy. The internal consistency of DHLA was satisfactory (α=.87), and factor analysis of construct validity found three factors, accounting for 76.6% of the variance. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis found 106 people at high risk, 1368 at medium risk, and 114 at low risk of misinterpreting health information. Of the original grouped cases, 89.6% were correctly classified after discriminate analysis. Logistic regression analysis showed that participants with a high risk of misjudging health information had a lower education level, lower income, and poorer health. They also rarely or never browsed the internet. These differences were statistically significant.ConclusionsThe DHLA score could distinguish those at low, medium, and high risk of misjudging health information on the internet. Health information platforms on the internet could consider incorporating DHLA to set up a mechanism to protect users from misusing health information and avoid harming their health.

Project description:BackgroundIn Germany, there are no measurement tools to assess the general health literacy of adolescents. The aim of the study "Measurement of Health Literacy Among Adolescents" (MOHLAA) is to develop such a tool for use among adolescents aged 14-17. The German version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47-GER) served as a blueprint for the development of the tool. The present study examined the extent to which the HLS-EU-Q47-GER can be applied to the measurement of general health literacy in adolescents.MethodsThe applicability of the HLS-EU-Q47-GER for adolescents was tested qualitatively using cognitive interviewing (CI). Purposive sampling was used to achieve an equal distribution of participants regarding age groups, educational backgrounds and gender. CI was standardized on the basis of an interview guide. Verbal probing and the retrospective think-aloud technique were applied. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using the criteria of theory-based analysis, which were derived from the model of cognitive processes. The analysis focused on identifying terms and questions that were difficult to understand and on scrutinizing the extent to which the content of the items is appropriate for assessing adolescents' health literacy.ResultsAdolescent respondents were unfamiliar with some terms of the HLS-EU-Q47-GER or provided heterogeneous interpretations of the terms. They had limited or no experience regarding some health-related tasks in health care and disease prevention that are addressed by HLS-EU-Q-items. A few items seemed to be too "difficult" to answer due to a high abstraction level or because they lacked any reference to the everyday lives of youth. Despite comprehension problems with some of the HLS-EU items, the respondents assessed the covered health-related tasks as "very easy" or "fairly easy". CI stressed the importance of interpersonal agents, especially parents, in helping adolescents understand and judge the reliability of health information.ConclusionsThe results of CI indicated that the applicability of the HLS-EU-Q47-GER to the measurement of general health literacy among adolescents aged 14-17 is limited. In order to prevent biased data, some items of the questionnaire should be adjusted to adolescents' state of development and experiences with health care and disease prevention.

Project description:BackgroundHealth literacy is an important health promotion concern and recently children and adolescents have been the focus of increased academic attention. To assess the health literacy of this population, researchers have been focussing on developing instruments to measure their health literacy. Compared to the wider availability of instruments for adults, only a few tools are known for younger age groups. The objective of this study is to systematically review the field of generic child and adolescent health literacy measurement instruments that are currently available.MethodA systematic literature search was undertaken in five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycNET, ERIC, and FIS) on articles published between January 1990 and July 2015, addressing children and adolescents ≤18 years old. Eligible articles were analysed, data was extracted, and synthesised according to review objectives.ResultsFifteen generic health literacy measurement instruments for children and adolescents were identified. All, except two, are self-administered instruments. Seven are objective measures (performance-based tests), seven are subjective measures (self-reporting), and one uses a mixed-method measurement. Most instruments applied a broad and multidimensional understanding of health literacy. The instruments were developed in eight different countries, with most tools originating in the United States (n = 6). Among the instruments, 31 different components related to health literacy were identified. Accordingly, the studies exhibit a variety of implicit or explicit conceptual and operational definitions, and most instruments have been used in schools and other educational contexts. While the youngest age group studied was 7-year-old children within a parent-child study, there is only one instrument specifically designed for primary school children and none for early years.ConclusionsDespite the reported paucity of health literacy research involving children and adolescents, an unexpected number of health literacy measurement studies in children's populations was found. Most instruments tend to measure their own specific understanding of health literacy and not all provide sufficient conceptual information. To advance health literacy instruments, a much more standardised approach is necessary including improved reporting on the development and validation processes. Further research is required to improve health literacy instruments for children and adolescents and to provide knowledge to inform effective interventions.

Project description:BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the internet has significantly spread information, providing people with knowledge and advice about health protection regarding COVID-19. While a previous study demonstrated that health and eHealth literacy are related to COVID-19 prevention behaviors, few studies have focused on the relationship between health literacy, eHealth literacy, and COVID-19-related health behaviors. The latter includes not only preventative behaviors but also conventional health behaviors.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to develop and verify a COVID-19-related health behavior questionnaire, explore its status and structure, and examine the associations between these behaviors and participants' health literacy and eHealth literacy.MethodsA snowball sampling method was adopted to recruit participants to complete anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire surveys online that assessed sociodemographic information, self-reported coronavirus knowledge, health literacy, eHealth literacy, and COVID-19-related health behaviors.ResultsOf 1873 college students who were recruited, 781 (41.7%) had adequate health literacy; the mean eHealth literacy score was 30.16 (SD 6.31). The COVID-19-related health behavior questionnaire presented a two-factor structure-COVID-19-specific precautionary behaviors and conventional health behaviors-with satisfactory fit indices and internal consistency (Cronbach α=.79). The mean score of COVID-19-related health behaviors was 53.77 (SD 8.03), and scores differed significantly (P<.05) with respect to residence, college year, academic major, family economic level, self-reported health status, having a family member or friend infected with coronavirus, and health literacy level. Linear regression analysis showed that health literacy and eHealth literacy were positively associated with COVID-19-specific precautionary behaviors (βhealth literacy=.149, βeHealth literacy=.368; P<.001) and conventional health behaviors (βhealth literacy=.219, βeHealth literacy=.277; P<.001).ConclusionsThe COVID-19-related health behavior questionnaire was a valid and reliable measure for assessing health behaviors during the pandemic. College students with higher health literacy and eHealth literacy can more actively adopt COVID-19-related health behaviors. Additionally, compared to health literacy, eHealth literacy is more closely related to COVID-19-related health behaviors. Public intervention measures based on health and eHealth literacy are required to promote COVID-19-related health behaviors during the pandemic, which may be helpful to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection among college students.

Dataset Information

Online Survey for the Assessment of Generic Health Literacy among Adolescents in Germany (GeKoJu): Study Protocol.

Publications

Online Survey for the Assessment of Generic Health Literacy among Adolescents in Germany (GeKoJu): Study Protocol.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets