HEALTH LITERACY IN THE PHYSIOTHERAPY EDUCATION

M. Christova^1,2, M. Handgraaf³, C. Fernández⁴, A. Hagen⁵, J. Luiken⁶, P. Mäki-Natunen⁷, S. Paasu-Hynynen⁷, B. Jochamm⁸, A. Arntz³, C. Grüneberg³

¹Institute of Physiotherapy, University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM Graz, Graz, Austria, ²Section of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria, ³Institute of Health, University of Applied Sciences, Bochum, Germany, ⁴Blanquerna School of Health Science, Barcelona, Spain, ⁵University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, Netherlands, ⁶University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, ⁷University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland, ⁸University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM, Graz, Austria

Background: As a result of the growing sociodemographic changes in Europe, physiotherapists are increasingly exposed to the challenge to provide care to vulnerable client groups, such as older people, persons with lower socioeconomic status, individuals with migration background and/or language difficulties, and with chronic illnesses. These client groups typically show decreased knowledge and motivation to access, understand, and apply health information for taking adequate decisions concerning their own health – a state defined as Health Literacy (HL). Inadequate HL has linked to reduced usage of health care services, increased risk of hospitalization and to higher healthcare costs.
The client groups with lower HL require individual therapeutic and communication approach from the physiotherapists. To respond to this requirement, physiotherapists need to acquire solid HL competencies during their higher education. The HL competencies currently offered in the most Physiotherapy study programs, are insufficient to respond adequately to the clients’ needs.

Purpose: The study objective was to develop educational courses which promote the HL competencies of bachelor and master physiotherapy students, adequate to the needs of the various client groups.

Methods: The methodology of this study is based on literature review and co-creation design.To create the theoretical background for the courses, we performed ascoping review including 5 phases: identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; selecting studies; charting the data; collating, summarising, and reporting results. To develop the HL courses, we organized consultations and teaching/ learning activities with the key stakeholders: physiotherapy professionals, students and lecturers, and clients.

Results: First, a health literacy framework based on the current state of the art was developed to ensure high standard scientific background for the teaching and training contents. A program including six educational courses was developed: “HL lectures”, “Communication skills”, “Project-oriented learning”, “Community interventions”, “Multidisciplinary rehabilitation”, “Educational videos with reflexion tool”. The courses are shared between partner European educational organizations using the Moodle platform.

Conclusions: The HL contents are based on the recent state of the art, on the expertise of the respective academic and physiotherapy professionals, and are developed in cooperation with students and clients. These contents offer flexible integration in the Physiotherapy curricula.

Implications: The developed HL program will increase the awareness of integrating the HL topic in the Physiotherapy curricula. It will promote the educational excellence of lecturers and will improve the HL competencies in physiotherapy practitioners and students, thus increasing their professional qualifications.

Funding acknowledgements: This study was supported by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union (2020-1-AT01-KA203-078086).

Keywords:
Health literacy competencies
Physiotherapy education
Vulnerable groups

Topics:
Education
Education: continuing professional development

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Reason: The study does not include data on human subjects/animal models. Educational courses were created based on theoretical background and professional expertise.