Comparison of Health Literacy Assessment Tools among Beijing School-Aged Children

Abstract

Health literacy is a broad and multidimensional construct, making its measurement and conclusions inconsistent. This study aims to compare the patterning of health literacy using different assessment tools and examine their impact on children’s developmental outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 650 students in Years 7–9 from four secondary schools in Beijing. Health literacy was measured by the eight-item health literacy assessment tool (HLAT, score range 0–37), the six-item Newest Vital Sign (NVS, score range 0–6), and the 16-item Health Literacy Survey (HLS, score range 0–16). Based on Manganello’s health literacy framework, information on upstream factors (e.g., gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status) and developmental outcomes (e.g., health-promoting behaviours, health service use, global health status) was collected. Overall, the average scores for health literacy were 26.34 ± 5.89, 3.64 ± 1.64, and 13.72 ± 2.94, respectively, for HLAT, NVS, and HLS. The distribution of health literacy varied by socio-demographics and individual characteristics except for gender, no matter which health literacy assessment tool was used. The magnitude of associations between health literacy, its upstream factors and developmental outcomes was greater when using three-domain instruments (HLAT and HLS) than using single-domain instruments (NVS). The approach to health literacy measurement will influence the conclusion. Using multidimensional assessment tools may better capture a child’s health literacy and contribute to the maximum efficiency and effectiveness of school-based health literacy interventions.

Associação entre letramento em saúde, ameaça pela COVID-19 e intenção vacinal de adolescentes brasileiros

“…Essa pontuação representa cerca de 68% da pontuação máxima possível de LS (37 pontos) pela referida escala. Outros estudos (49)(50)(51)…”

Are personal health literacy and school health literacy environment important to schoolteachers’ health outcomes?

“…In the global health promotion agenda of the World Health Organization (WHO) (4), addressing low health literacy is a part of the strategy to tackle health inequities (5). Many national governments and international organisations have integrated health literacy into their health agendas and initiatives and even developed national action plans to improve population health literacy and reduce health disparities (6,7).…”

Promoting Child Health Equity through Health Literacy

“…Child health inequities manifest not only in distal outcomes such as body mass index, diet patterns, and physical activity but also in generic health literacy, which is both a determinant of health and an immediate health outcome. Guo et al [ 8 ] investigated health literacy among 650 middle school students in Beijing and found that the distribution of health literacy varied by year level, ethnicity, family composition, family socioeconomic position, and personal health interests. The work of Krenz et al [ 5 ] also showed that children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds had lower scores of physical health literacy than their advantaged peers.…”