Health Literacy

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:2.00

Study Course Accepted:29.08.2024 11:14:26

Study Course Information
Course Code:		SVUEK_137		LQF level:		Level 7
Credit Points:		2.00		ECTS:		3.00
Branch of Science:		Clinical Medicine; Public Health		Target Audience:		Public Health
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Inese Stars
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Institute of Public Health
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:		Riga, 9 Kronvalda boulevard, svekrsu[pnkts]lv, +371 67338307
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		5	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		10
Classes (count)		5	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		10
Total Contact Hours								20
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Public health, epidemiology, health education, pedagogy.
Objective:
The aim of the study course is to improve students' knowledge and understanding of health literacy as one of the central pillars of public health, revealing the health literacy concept's complexity, contextuality and diversity; presenting the possibilities of measuring and promoting health literacy in different groups of society, as well as analyzing research on the association between health literacy and health behaviour. The course will focus on these questions based on current research and theory in the field of health literacy.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Theoretical principles (background) of health literacy			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
2	Contextuality and diversity of health literacy (child and adolescent health literacy; digital health literacy; public health literacy; organizational health literacy, etc.)			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
3	Measuring health literacy in the population			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	Promotion of health literacy in different social groups			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
5	Interrelationships between health literacy and health behavior			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Within the framework of the study course, students: 1) conduct an independent study of theoretical literature on each topic of the study course; 2) get acquainted with research on health literacy and health behaviour; 3) prepare a presentation with a summary of three studies on the relationship between health literacy and a specific (freely chosen) health behaviour; 4) prepares a package of pedagogical methods and techniques for promoting health literacy in a specific group of society.
Assessment Criteria:
1. Class attendance and participation in class activities (required to obtain a successful grade for course attendance). 2. Submitted a presentation on research on the relationship between health literacy and specific health behaviour (50%). 3. Submitted written work on methods and techniques of promoting health literacy for a specific audience (50%).
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		By studying the study course, the student will be able to: 1. Describe the theoretical underpinnings of health literacy, emphasizing health literacy from the perspective of public health. 2. Represent health literacy as a contextually diverse social phenomenon. 3. Name and describe different types of health literacy. 4. Reflect on health literacy as a public health concept and its relevance for promoting public health.
Skills:		While studying the study course, the student will be able to: 1. Discuss the possibilities of measuring health literacy. 2. Choose the most suitable tool for measuring health literacy in the specific situation and justify its choice. 3. Discuss the possibilities of promoting health literacy in different groups of society. 4. Choose pedagogical methods and techniques for promoting health literacy in different contexts and justify their choice; demonstrate examples of specific methods and techniques.
Competencies:		By learning the study course, the student will be competent: 1. Discuss and critically evaluate health literacy research. 2. Analyze the relationships between health literacy and health behaviour. 3. Based on theoretical knowledge and research results, provide ideas and examples of how to integrate health literacy into public health practice.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Nutbeam, D. 2000. Health literacy as a public health goal: a challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century. Health Promotion International, 15 (3), 259–267.
2	Nutbeam, D., Lloyd, J. E. 2021. Understanding and Responding to Health Literacy as a Social Determinant of Health. Annual review of public health, 42, 159–173.
3	Okan, O., Bauer, U., Levin-Zamir, D., Pinheiro, P., Sørensen, K., eds. 2019. International Handbook of Health Literacy: Research, practice and policy across the lifespan. Bristol: Policy Press, University of Bristol.
4	Sørensen, K., Van den Broucke, S., Fullam, J., et al. 2012. Health literacy and public health: A systematic review and integration of definitions and models. BMC Public Health 12, 80.
5	Urstad, K.H., Andersen, M.H., Larsen, M.H., et al. 2022. Definitions and measurement of health literacy in health and medicine research: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 12:e056294.
Additional Reading
1	World Health Organization. 2022. Health literacy development for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Geneva.
Other Information Sources
1	What Is Health Literacy? (CDC)
2	Health literacy Europe
3	The Action Network on Measuring Population and Organizational Health Literacy (M-POHL)