Kristine Sørensen|Jürgen M. Pelikan|Florian Röthlin|Kristin Ganahl|Zofia S?o?ska|Gerardine Doyle|James Fullam|Barbara Kondilis|Demosthenes Agrafiotis|Ellen Uiters|María Falcón|M Mensing|Kancho Tchamov|Stephan Van den Broucke|Helmut Brand
Health literacy in Europe: comparative results of the European health literacy survey (HLS-EU)
Maastricht University|Ludwig Boltzmann Institut Health Promotion Research|Ludwig Boltzmann Institut Health Promotion Research|Ludwig Boltzmann Institut Health Promotion Research|Cardinal Stefan Wyszy?ski University in Warsaw|Institute of Cardiology|University College Dublin|University College Dublin|Hellenic American University|Anatolia College|National School of Public Health|National Institute for Public Health and the Environment|Universidad de Murcia|Medical University of Sofia|UCLouvain|Maastricht University
health literacy concerns capacities people meet complex demands health modern society spite growing attention concept among european health policymakers researchers practitioners information status health literacy europe remains scarce article presents selected findings first european comparative survey health literacy populationsthe european health literacy survey hlseu conducted eight countries austria bulgaria germany greece ireland netherlands poland spain n 1000 per country n 8000 total sample data collection based eurobarometer standards implementation hlseuq questionnaire computerassisted paperassisted personal interviewsthe hlseuq constructed four levels health literacy insufficient problematic sufficient excellent least 1 10 12 respondents showed insufficient health literacy almost 1 2 47 limited insufficient problematic health literacy however distribution levels differed substantially across countries 2962 subgroups within population defined financial deprivation low social status low education old age higher proportions people limited health literacy suggesting presence social gradient also confirmed raw bivariate correlations multivariate linear regression modellimited health literacy represents important challenge health policies practices across europe different degree different countries social gradient health literacy must taken account developing public health strategies improve health equity europe