Rebecca Jessup|Richard H. Osborne|Alison Beauchamp|Allison Bourne|Rachelle Buchbinder
Differences in health literacy profiles of patients admitted to a public and a private hospital in Melbourne, Australia
Deakin University|Deakin University|Deakin University|Cabrini Hospital|Cabrini Hospital
health literacy refers individuals ability find understand use health information order promote maintain health individuals health literacy may also influenced way health care organisations deliver care aim study investigate influence hospital service type public versus private individual health literacytwo crosssectional surveys conducted using health literacy questionnaire hlq multidimensional selfreport instrument covering nine health literacy domains recently discharged private patients n 3121 sent survey english public patients n 384 sent survey english arabic chinese vietnamese italian greek eligibility included hospitalisation 24 h last 30 days aged 18 years cognitive impairment odds ratios used assess differences hospital sociodemographic health related variables anova cohens effect sizes compared hlq scores hospitals chi square multiple logistic regression used determine whether differences private public hospital hlq scores independent hospital population sociodemographic differences anova used review associations hlq scores subgroups demographic health behaviour health conditions compared across two hospital populationspublic hospital participants scored lower private hospital participants eight nine health literacy domains hlq scores active appraisal differ two samples six domains five part measure impact care delivered health literacy remained lower among public hospital participants controlling age education language income across hospital populations participants smokers low physical activity depression andor anxiety 3 chronic conditions reported lower scores hlq domainsour finding lower health literacy among patients received care public hospital comparison private hospital even adjustment sociodemographic language differences suggests private hospitals may possess organisational attributes environment structure values practices andor workforce competencies result improved health literacy responsiveness