Health Literacy in Multiple Sclerosis patients: A Concept Analysis Using the Evolutionary Method

Abstract

Introduction:Health literacy is one of the effective factors in health promotion of chronic patients. However, little attention has been paid to it; no exact and clear definition of health literacy has ever been accessible in chronic diseases. This study was conducted with aim of defining and clarifying attributes, antecedents, and consequences of health literacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Methods: Rodgers’ evolutionary method of concept analysis was used to clarify the concept of health literacy in MS patients. A literature review was conducted with key terms "multiple sclerosis", "health literacy", "information literacy", "functional health", "health education", "health promotion" and "health behavior". Eight hundred and sixty papers for the period 1980– 2019 were found and finally 23 articles and texts were selected for the analysis. Data analysis was carried out using a thematic analysis. Results: Health literacy in MS patients is a multidimensional concept with forth attributes: health information evaluation, understand disease and its related issues, reading skills and capacity to use knowledge. Ability to read and comprehend, interacting with health personnel, and interacting with peers as an antecedents and improved self-care, health promotion, medication adherence, and decreased use of health care services to be the consequences of these attributes were found. Conclusion: The findings can add knowledge about the concept of health literacy in MS patients. Also, health care professionals can use a deeper understanding of the concept of health literacy in providing care plan for MS patients.

Hypertension literacy: Concept analysis

“…The studies used various terms to describe a concept analysis (Table 1). The studies included those that analysed HL (Mancuso, 2008; Parnell et al, 2019; Speros, 2005), critical HL (Sykes et al, 2013), lay worker HL (Cadman, 2017) and HL in relation to health outcomes (Sierra & Cianelli, 2019), shaping alcohol HL (Okan et al, 2020), HL in patients with multiple sclerosis (Dehghani, 2021), HL in older adult populations (Oldfield & Dreher, 2010) and concept analysis of HL for patients with CVD (Sim & Hwang, 2019). The concept analysis methods included the hybrid method (Sim & Hwang, 2019), Roger's method (Dehghani, 2021; Mancuso, 2008), Walker and Avant's method (Oldfield & Dreher, 2010; Parnell et al, 2019; Sierra & Cianelli, 2019; Speros, 2005), the evolutionary method (Okan et al, 2020; Sykes et al, 2013) and Wilson's methods (Cadman, 2017).…”

“…The studies used various terms to describe a concept analysis (Table 1). The studies included those that analysed HL (Mancuso, 2008;Parnell et al, 2019;Speros, 2005), critical HL (Sykes et al, 2013), lay worker HL (Cadman, 2017) and HL in relation to health outcomes (Sierra & Cianelli, 2019), shaping alcohol HL (Okan et al, 2020), HL in patients with multiple sclerosis (Dehghani, 2021), HL in older adult populations (Oldfield & Dreher, 2010) and concept analysis of HL for patients with CVD (Sim & Hwang, 2019).…”

“…The concept analysis methods included the hybrid method (Sim & Hwang, 2019), Roger's method (Dehghani, 2021;Mancuso, 2008), Walker and Avant's method (Oldfield & Dreher, 2010;Parnell et al, 2019;Sierra & Cianelli, 2019;Speros, 2005), the evolutionary method (Okan et al, 2020;Sykes et al, 2013) and Wilson's methods (Cadman, 2017).…”

Conceptualization of Health Literacy from a Nursing Perspective

“…Meanwhile, limited health literacy will affect people’s behaviour related to self-management of chronic conditions, outcomes of health efforts (Sántha, 2021), and health costs in society (Dehghani, 2021). Several studies have also revealed that inadequate health literacy can lead to poor health implications, unsuccessful preventive care, and high health care costs.…”

“…The processing and assessment of health literacy are influenced by the complexity of the information, jargon, and partial understanding of the information. Dehghani (2021) states that the evaluation of health information is critical in applying health literacy. If the review of health information is not carried out properly, it will cause difficulties in using the information as a basis for decision-making.…”