Thomas Straumits, a Health 2.0 Hungary Chapter 2015. november 10.-i találkozóján bemutatott előadása.

1. Why Health Literacy is Important
A Bridge to Better Health Outcomes
Thomas Straumits, AIPM Working Group
Nov 10 , 2015

2. Healthcare Is Not a Priority & Innovative Medicines Not
Recognized as Key To Longer & Healthier Lives
Life Expectancy:
One of Lowest in EU
Mortality (age 15-60)
One of Highest in EU
CV
Onco
Men: 71.6. Women: 78.7
Migrations of HC Providers
Gross Salaries in EU

3. A Simple Framework for a Complex Topic

4. The Challenge is Both for HealthCare Professionals and Patients

5. Health Literacy Can Help Make
Health and Healthcare A Priority
A more Engaged Patient with an Active Role in Decisions and
Management
Positive Financial Impact through a Healthy and Productive
Workforce
Can lead to Better Utilization of Current Healthcare Resources
May Lead to Better Health Outcomes and a Healthier Longer
Life
An Essential Component of Patient Access to Health Promotion, Healthcare
Resources including Innovative Therapies and Effective Disease Prevention

6. Health Literacy & The Disease Journey

7. Patients With Limited HL Enter
Healthcare When They Are Sicker
Step Better Health Literacy Behaviour Change Impact
Pre-
Origination
Increases general
knowledge about
health, diseases and
associated risk factors
Patients become more
aware of risk factors, risk
and risk behaviour and
show up earlier for
”check ups”, screening
and tests
 Ability to assess
patients, prevent
worsening of
outcomes and
initiation of
treatment earlier
Origination
Helps the individual
navigate the health
care system to know
where to go with a
certain symptom or
diagnosis
Patients consult the right
HCP at the right time
instead of burdening the
Emergency Room at
Hospitals
 Avoids high costs
associated with
patients presenting
with late stage
diseases and
increasing efficiency
of healthcare and
utilization of
resources
7

8. Patients With Limited HL; More Likely To Have Chronic
Conditions & Less Able To Manage Them Effectively
Step Better Health Literacy Behaviour Change Impact
Evaluation/
Diagnosis
Helps to understand
the diagnosis and
coping with it
Patients understand
diagnostic tests outcomes
 Better acceptance of
diagnosis and
implications
Treatment
Choice
Improves discussion
about treatment
choices, life style
advice and alternative
recommendations
Treatment options, their
advantages and
disadvantages are
discussed
 Patient involvement
in decision making
and better able to
manage disease
 Potential
improvement in
utilization of
healthcare budgets
Brand
Choice
Increases knowledge
about treatment
options
More conscious choice of
therapy aligned with
patient needs
 Best-possible
treatment wins
8

9. Limited HL Associated With Greater Number Of Instances Of
Medication Non-adherence
Step Better Health Literacy Behaviour Change Impact
Fulfillment
Helps to check what is
dispensed and better
understands potential
substitution
Patient gets what is
prescribed/ «conscious
fulfillment»
 Minimizes
unintended switches
and enables
Adherence
Helps to understand
the treatment,
challenges and
benefits
Patient «knows» his
treatment and how to
manage it; stays on
treatment
 Better health
outcomes
 Reduces cost burden
due to non-
adherence
 Better Utilization of
Drug Budgets
9
”When I feel better, I sometimes stop taking my medicine”

10. Our 5 Main Problem Statements
No Clear, Common Definition in Hungarian for all Stakeholders
No Clear Understanding of Healthcare Operations allowing for easy
navigation; low awareness of patient rights, roles & responsibilities
General Information Overload, but Limited Knowledge of Reliable &
easy Accessible Data for Patients
No Clear Data to Support Understanding of Current Level of HL; we
observe low interest in health, health outcomes and activities promoting health and healthy
choices
HL is Not Amongst Immediate Priorities in the health sector; difficult to see
who owns the area and where accountability (politically and professionally) lies

11. Validity
Cronbach’s alphas
Mean
(scale 0-50)
SD
0,97 32,3 7,8
0,98 34,5 8,0
0,97 30,5 9,2
0,97 33,6 8,5
0,96 32,9 6,1
0,97 35,2 7,8
0,96 32,0 7,6
0,96 34,5 7,9
0,95 37,1 6,4
11 Base: HU [N=954]|AT [N=979]|BG [N=925]|DE (NRW) [N=1045]|EL[N=998]|ES[N=974]|IE[N=959]|NL[N=993]|PL[N=921]
19%
10%
27%
14%
8%
10%
18%
11%
2%
33%
34%
35%
31%
51%
30%
38%
35%
27%
38%
36%
27%
40%
33%
39%
34%
34%
46%
10%
20%
11%
16%
9%
21%
10%
20%
25%
HU
PL
BG
GR
ES
IE
AT
DE
NL
inadequate problematic sufficient excellent
Health Literacy in Hungary is Limited (but similar to Austria)
Data from Szinapszis
The results are sobering: Not even Netherlands, with the highest average Health Literacy reaches the excellent threshold.
The average Health Literacy level in Hungary is limited (lower than 33 points), along with Bulgaria, Spain and Austria. The
rest of the countries reach a sufficient Health Literacy level with their average score.

12. ~50% Can Not Easily Judge Reliability Of Information
In Media Related To Illnesses
Potential Solution: CERTIFICATION or “TRUSTED SOURCE-stamp”
Should be created in alliance with HealthCare professionals ( Scientific Colleges)

13. 1/3 Can Not Easily Judge/Decide Which Vaccinations Or
Screening They Need Further Overloading Healthcare
Potential Solution: MEDICAL HOTLINE (24/7)
Manned with qualified nurses providing ”first point of contact”

14. The Road Ahead
Health Literacy is Complex
• Solutions need to be aligned across
stakeholders and addressed at different
levels of the HealthCare system
Health Literacy should be addressed
now
• Huge burden on current healthcare
system by people with limited HL
• Modern technology and access to
reliable information can lead to ”quick
wins” with patient registries and health
apps
Health Literacy; recognized by EU
• A series of conferences to be organized
and Hungary is now on the HL-map

15. Thank You For Attention!