Health literacy and cancer self‐management behaviors: A scoping review

Abstract

Background Increasing demands on health care systems require patients to take on more active roles in their health. Effective self‐management has been linked to improved health outcomes, and evidence shows that effective self‐management is linked to health literacy (HL). HL is an important predictor of successful self‐management in other chronic diseases but has had minimal testing in cancer. Methods A scoping review was conducted to examine and summarize what is known about the association between HL and self‐management behaviors and health service utilization in the cancer setting. The methodological framework articulated by Arksey and O’Malley was used and was further refined with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Inclusion criteria included the following: peer review; publication in English; and adult patients and caregivers of all races, ethnicities, and cultural groups. Use of a validated instrument to measure HL was required. Results The search yielded 2414 articles. After the removal of duplicates and the performance of title scans and abstract reviews, the number was reduced to 44. Of the 44 full‐text articles reviewed, 17 met the inclusion criteria. A number of important self‐management behaviors and related outcomes were found to be associated with HL. These included the uptake of cancer screening, the receipt of prescribed chemotherapy, and a greater risk of postoperative complications. Conclusions This literature review shows that HL is associated with important self‐management behaviors in cancer. The implications of these associations for individuals with inadequate HL and for the health care system are significant. More research is needed to explore these associations.

Managing the absent clinical eye in calls to an oncological emergency telephone – a focus group study

“…For decades, the treatment options for cancer have been expanding, and patients receive cancer treatment during a prolonged period for curative and palliative purposes (1). The treatment is mainly offered on an outpatient basis which requires patients and their caregivers to selfmanage symptoms and side effects from the cancer treatment when staying at home between treatments (2,3). Additionally, patients and their caregivers are expected to report side effects from cancer treatment to their healthcare professionals (HCPs) in order to prevent life-threatening side effects (4)(5)(6).…”

The role of responsibility in oncological emergency telephone calls

“…Thus, the callers in our study demonstrated the ability to understand and use healthcare information to make appropriate decisions – a degree of health literacy that is presented as an important predictor of successful self-management and autonomous actions. 1 However, the ability to take responsibility as an ‘independent decision-maker’ 27 may be limited regardless of being patient or caregiver due to the association between patients’ symptoms and caregiver burden. 4,16,18,19 Interfering each other in their interdependent relationship may thus be a restraint in the caregiving process that needs acknowledgement from HCPs.…”

“…Given the trend towards shorter hospital stays and the increase in outpatient care, patients are increasingly left to self-manage their illness. 1,2 For cancer patients, this may involve handling serious symptoms of the disease and side effects from the treatment given when they are at home between their outpatient treatments. In order to prevent life-threatening side effects, patients are expected to perform self-assessment and report side effects from cancer treatment to their healthcare providers (HCPs).…”

„… oder doch lieber daheimbleiben?“ – Unterstützung bei der Entscheidung zur Inanspruchnahme der Regelversorgung während der COVID-19-Pandemie durch Akteure des Gesundheitssystems

“…Bei den aktuell tiefgreifenden Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf das gesellschaftliche, wirtschaftliche und soziale Leben stellt insbesondere die kritische Gesundheitskompetenz, also die Fähigkeit, Gesundheitsinformationen abzuwägen und in den eigenen Kontext zu überführen, eine wichtige Ressource dar [23,24]. Bereits ohne Pandemie ist Gesundheitskompetenz in der Gesellschaft ungleich verteilt, so verfügen sozioökonomisch benachteiligte Bevölkerungsgruppen häufig über eine geringere Gesundheitskompetenz [25][26][27][28]. In der Pandemie verschärfen sich die Lebensbedingungen noch einmal, so sind benachteiligte Bevölkerungsgruppen überproportional von der Pandemie und den pandemiebedingten Einschränkungen betroffen.…”