Analysis of health literacy instruments which could be used on a primary healthcare level

Abstract

Health literacy measurement means appliance of different instruments which determine the degree of understanding of read and written information, as well as numerical skills necessary for making relevant health decisions. The objective of this study is to identify instruments which are used to measure health literacy at a primary healthcare level, to compare them and analyze their structure in order to examine their relevance for health literacy evaluation in public pharmacies. Collection of data related to health literacy is done by literature search, and for every instrument for measuring health literacy given is its content and description of performance and conditions for use (with special view if it is applicable in pharmacy settings). Analysis of instruments is done by method of comparison. There were identified 5 instruments for direct measuring of health literacy and each could be used in pharmacy settings. It was concluded that the NVS (Newest Vital Sign) which measures functional and critical health literacy in a very short time would be the most suitable instrument for health literacy measurement in pharmacy settings.

Procena zdravstvene pismenosti podrazumeva primenu različitih instrumenata kojima se određuje stepen razumevanja pročitanih ili verbalnih informacija, kao i numeričke sposobnosti neophodne za donošenje odgovarajućih zdravstvenih odluka. Cilj rada je da se identifikuju instrumenti koji se koriste za procenu zdravstvene pismenosti na nivou primarne zdravstvene zaštite, i da se komparativnom analizom njihove strukture utvrde mogućnosti primene za procenu zdravstvene pismenosti kod pacijenata u javnim apotekama. Prikupljanje publikacija u vezi sa instrumentima za procenu zdravstvene pismenosti izvršeno je pretragom literature, a za svaki instrument kojim se meri nivo zdravstvene pismenosti dat je njegov sadržaj i opis načina na koji se izvodi i u kojim uslovima se može primeniti (sa posebnim osvrtom na to da li je primenljiv u uslovima apoteke). Metodom komparacije urađeno je poređenje instrumenata. Identifikovano je 5 instrumenata kojima se direktno može izmeriti zdravstvena pismenost i svaki se može primeniti u uslovima apoteke. Zaključeno je da bi optimalan instrument bio Najnoviji vitalni znak-engl. Newest Vital Sign-NV kojim se u jako kratkom vremenu mogu dobiti podaci o funkcionalnoj i kritičkoj zdravstvenoj pismenosti korisnika usluga apoteke.