Health literacy in the context of development

2015 Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges

Kelowna, British Columbia22-25 June 2015

Why health literacy? Why UNESCO?

•Right to (health) education for all

•Literacy, rights and development

•HIV, sexuality and health education

•Competences and lifelong learning

Health and Education

• Educational levels health status• Paradigms, and measures of success, visions of

change• New challenges: chronic diseases and healthy

lifestyles”• A social context of abounding contradictions• For some young(er) people: survival strategies

Education

• Coverage quality?• Coverage at tertiary level• Education in crisis! (equity, learning, teaching,

focus, quality, structure, etc) • Importance of “soft skills” for individuals,

communities, employers, societies • Measures of success and other expected

results

Health literacy

“…people’s knowledge, motivation and competences to access, understand, appraise and apply health information in order to make

judgements and take decisions in everydaylife concerning health care, disease prevention and health promotion to maintain or improve

quality of life during the life course.”

Source: HLS-EU. 2012.

Literacy

Functional literacy:More than reading, writing and math

[The ability to...] engage in all those activities for which literacy is required for effective

functioning of his or her group and community, and also for enabling him or her to continue to use reading, writing and calculation for his or her own and the community’s development.”

Source: UNESCO. 1978.

Approaches to Literacy

Cognitive Skills

Tool for critical reflection and social

change (critical, transformative literacy)

Use of capabilities to achieve purposes and

goals

Set of social and cultural practices, in political, cultural and linguistic

contexts

Applied (tasks that require the written

word)

Lind, A. 2012. Desk Study on Current Trends of Defining and Conceptualizing Literacy. (Unpublished); UNESCO. 2005. Literacy for Life: Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2006. Paris. McCaffery, J. et al. 2007. Developing Adult Literacy: Approaches to planning, implementing, and delivering

literacy initiatives. Oxford, Oxfam. St. Clair, R. 2010. Why Literacy Matters: Understanding the effects of literacy education for adults. Leicester, NIACE. Cited in UNESCO/UIL. Rethinking Literacy. 2013.

Health literacyUnderstanding conditions that

determine health and how to change them Self-efficacy

Motivation

Applying relevant health information for

personal benefit

Personal skills Cognitive skills

Media literacy skills Critical thinking

skills

Problem-solving

Health literate knowledgePersonal

knowledge and capability

Capacity to understand and

personalize information

Source: Paakari, I. & Paakari, O. Health literacy as a learning outcome in schools. Health Education, 112 (2), 133-152.

• Health literacy as:– A instrument for measurement and analysis– A framework for personal and community empowerment– An advocacy tool for public policy in health and

education

• Universities as settings for knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, and extension to the broader community

Health literacy

Higher Education

Access to higher education

Source: UNESCO Institute of Statistics. 2015.

OECD: Share of students not acquiring basic skills (2015)

Theoretical knowledge Practical knowledge Critical thinking Self awareness Citizenship

Source: Paakari, I. & Paakari, O. (2012) Health literacy as a learning outcome in schools. Health Education, 112 (2), 133-152.

What do we expect from education?

Theoretical knowledge Practical knowledge Critical thinking Self awareness Citizenship

Source: Based on Paakari, I. & Paakari, O. (2012) Health literacy as a learning outcome in schools . Health Education, 112 (2), 133-152.

What should we expect from health (literacy) promoting universities?

Knowledge generation

Meaningful involvement with

broader communities

Knowledge sharing

Healthy campuses

Fundamental commitment to

the promotion of health and

wellbeing for all

Passion for rights, equity and

participation

Advocacy and leadership

Technical excellence

Thank you!