EVALUATION OF THE HEALTH LITERACY LEVELS IN SOCIAL WORKERS

Year 2024, , 210 - 220, 31.10.2024

Hıdır Apak , Zoro Ceylan , Yeşim Yeşil

https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1487091

Abstract

Health literacy levels of social workers working with disadvantaged or risky groups of society have a very important place in the protection of public health. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the level of health literacy knowledge of social workers in Turkey and various variables. In this study, 237 social workers working in institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Family and Social Policies and the Ministry of Health in different provinces of Turkey were included in the analysis. Health literacy levels were measured using Turkey’s Health Literacy (TSOY-32). The SPSS package program was used in the statistical analysis of the data and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. According to the TSOY-32 averages, 59.8% had inadequate and problematic health literacy levels. More than half of the participants (68.1%) stated that they did not have enough information about health, 40.6% did not know the concept of health literacy, and 16.6% were not aware of the national health campaigns of the Ministry of Health. The percentage of those who think that the role of social workers in the formulation of health policies is adequate (9.6%) is quite low. In conclusion, it is thought that this study will contribute to the literature because there is no study to determine the health literacy of social workers and related variables in Turkey. More studies should be conducted on the effectiveness of specific training programs and, the content, duration and, methods of these programs to increase the health literacy levels of social workers.

Keywords

Health services, health literacy, social work, social worker

References

• Liu, C., Wang, D., Liu, C., Jiang, J., Wang, X., Chen, H., Zhang, X., “What is the meaning of health literacy? A systematic review and qualitative synthesis”, Family medicine and community health, 8(2), e000351,2020.
• Okan, O., Bauer, U., Levin-Zamir, D., Pinheiro, P., Sørensen, K., International Handbook of Health Literacy: Research, Practice and Policy Across The Lifespan, Policy Press, 2019.
• WHO (World Health Organization), Policy brief 4: health literacy, The 9th global conference on health promotion, Shanghai, China, 2017.
• Gazmararian, J.A., Parker, R.M., Baker, D.W., “Reading skills and family planning knowledge and practices in a low-income managed-care population”, Obstetrics & Gynecology, 93(2), 239-244, 1999.
• Haun, J., Luther, S., Dodd, V., Donaldson, P., “Measurement variation across health literacy assessments: implications for assessment selection in research and practice”, Journal of health communication, 17(sup3), 141-159, 2012.
• Apfel, F., Tsouros, A.D., “Health literacy: the solid facts”, Copenhagen: World Health Organization, 3-26, 2013.
• Hickey, K.T., Creber, R.M.M., Reading, M., Sciacca, R.R., Riga, T.C., Frulla, A.P., Casida, J.M., “Low health literacy: Implications for managing cardiac patients in practice”, The Nurse Practitioner, 43(8), 49-55, 2018.
• Tanriöver, M.D., Yildirim, H.H., Ready, F.N.D., Çakir, B., Akalin, H.E., “Türkiyede Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Araştırması”, Sağlık-Sen Yayınları, 6, 42-47, 2014.
• Gözlü, K., “Sağlığın sosyal bir belirleyicisi: Sağlık okuryazarlığı”, SDÜ Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, 27(1), 137-144, 2020.
• Bonner, C., Bullock, C., Colon, Y., Fong, R., Jackson, V., Montemayor, A., Ramanthan, C., Yellow Bird, N., Nasw standards and indicators for cultural competence in social work practice NASW: Washington, DC, USA, 2015.
• Erdem, M., “Klinik sosyal hizmete ilişkin kavram karışıklığı”, Tarih Okulu Dergisi, 17(68), 91-106, 2024.
• Liechty, J. M., “Health literacy: Critical opportunities for social work leadership in health care and research”, Health & Social Work, 36(2), 99-107, 2011.
• National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Health care policy, 2008. http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/healthcarereform/documents/167-170%20health%20care.pdf
• Ürgün, S., Yıldırım, F., “The Importance of the Health Literacy Interventions From Social Work Perspective”, Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 31(1), 203-217, 2020.
• Juvinyà-Canal, D., Suñer-Soler, R., Boixadós Porquet, A., Vernay, M., Blanchard, H., Bertran-Noguer, C., “Health literacy among health and social care university students”, International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(7), 2273, 2020.
• Martin, J., “An exploratory study of the benefits of youth mental health literacy studies for social work students”, Social Work in Mental Health, 14(1), 42-60, 2016.
• Lennon-Dearing, R., “Health literacy for social workers: A cross-cultural approach”, [Online], 2013. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277718481
• Allen-Meares, P., Lowry, B., Estrella, M. L., Mansuri, S., “Health literacy barriers in the health care system: Barriers and opportunities for the profession”, Health & Social Work, 45(1), 62-64, 2020.
• Mannsåker, I.K.R., Vågan, A., Geirdal, A.Ø., & Stenberg, U., “Hospital social workers’ contributions to increasing health literacy among parents of acutely and critically ill children”, European Journal of Social Work, 26(1), 121-133, 2023.
• Rust, C., Davis, C., “Medication therapy management and collaborative health care: Implications for social work practice”. Health & social work, 36(1), 69, 2011.
• Sağlık Bakanlığı, Türkiye sağlık okuryazarlığı ölçekleri güvenilirlik ve geçerlilik çalışması, 2016. https://ekutuphane.saglik.gov.tr/Ekutuphane/kitaplar/Sağlık%20Okur%20Yazarlığı.pdf.
• Yılmaz, M., Tiraki, Z., “Sağlık okuryazarlığı nedir? Nasıl ölçülür?”, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi, 9(4), 142-147, 2016.
• Findley, A., “Low health literacy and older adults: meanings, problems, and recommendations for social work”, Social Work in Health Care, 54(1), 65-81, 2015.
• Singleton, K., Health Literacy and Social Work. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, 2003.