Framework for evidence-based interventions to promote health literacy in an occupational rehabilitation setting

Description

A number of current studies indicate that substantial proportions of the population in Germany have low health literacy. This means that many people are not be able to search for, understand, and apply information regarding their health. This is partly because the available information is difficult to understand, but also due to the lack of access to information and lack of individual resources. This applies in particular to older population groups, persons with lower education and those with a migration background. Because health literacy affects many areas of life, differences in health literacy can cause or exacerbate health inequalities.
The FORESIGHT project addresses one of the groups with a particularly high risk for low health literacy: the long-term unemployed. Within the context of the project, we will systematically develop suitable health promotion measures that are based on the best available current evidence. The main part of the work entails the development of a framework for the systematic and evidence-based development of interventions to promote health literacy for the long-term unemployed.

Key guiding questions include:
- Which strategies to promote health literacy among the long-term unemployed have already been scientifically proven to be successful?
- How can both behavioral and structural preventive factors for strengthening health literacy in an occupational reintegration setting be addressed?
- Which contextual conditions and factors influence the success of the implementation of health literacy measures in an occupational reintegration setting, and how can they be addressed?

The project will lead to the participatory development, implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based intervention program for the promotion of health literacy among the long-term unemployed in an occupational reintegration setting and to the development of a handbook.

Funding period

Begin:   October 2020
End:   December 2023

Sponsor

  • Federal Ministry of Health

Contact

Dr. phil. Tilman Brand

Link

Project homepage

Selected project-related publications

    Articles with peer-review

  • Samkange-Zeeb F, Singh H, Lakeberg M, Kolschen J, Schüz B, Christianson L, De Santis KK, Brand T, Zeeb H. Health literacy needs among unemployed persons: Collating evidence through triangulation of interview and scoping review data. Frontiers in Public Health. 2022;10:798797.
    https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.798797
  • Presentations at scientific meetings/conferences

  • Samkange-Zeeb F, Singh H, Lakeberg M, Kolschen J, Schüz B, Christianson L, De Santis KK, Brand T, Zeeb H. Health literacy needs among unemployed adults: Triangulating interview and scoping review data. 14th European Public Health Conference (EPH), 10-12 November 2021, online presentation. (Abstract published in: European Journal of Public Health. 2021;31(Supplement 3):141)