ArticleBMC health services research2021
The Vienna self-assessment questionnaire: a usable tool towards more health-literate hospitals? Explorative case studies in three hospitals in Belgium.
Article in BMC health services research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Defining, assessing, and implementing organizational health literacy: barriers, facilitators, and tools - a systematic review.BMC health services research · 2025Pooled it
- Assessing organizational health literacy in hospitals by using the International Self-Assessment Tool for Organizational Health Literacy of Hospitals - a feasibility study in six European countries.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Which criteria characterize a health literate health care organization? - a scoping review on organizational health literacy.BMC health services research · 2021Article
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4 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundStrengthening the capacity of hospitals to take into account the level of health literacy of their public is a necessity to improve the quality of care. One way to develop adequate health literacy responsive policy and strategies in hospitals is the use of self-assessment tools to raise awareness, help prioritise action and mobilise stakeholders. The Vienna Health Literate Organisation (V-HLO) questionnaire, recently translated and adapted into French, is designed to meet this objective. In this study we have piloted the French version of the V-HLO (V-HLO-fr) tool in the main hospitals of Liège (Belgium) to explore its feasibility and gain a first insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the health literacy responsiveness of the participating hospitals.
methodsWe performed explorative case studies in three hospitals. Our mode of application of the V-HLO-fr was inspired by the 'RAND Appropriateness' method: first, individual members of an internal multidisciplinary panel filled out the questionnaire and then the results were discussed collectively in each hospital during a 'round table' meeting. The feasibility of the process was assessed by direct observation of the round tables and with semi-structured phone interviews.
resultsThe V-HLO-fr tool was fully applied in the three targeted hospitals and the process seems to be acceptable, practicable and integrable. Strengths (e.g. the facilitation of patient navigation to the hospital) and weaknesses (e.g. the provision of easy to read, understand and act on health information materials) in terms of health literacy responsiveness have been highlighted.
conclusionV-HLO-fr can be a suitable tool for a needs assessment that allows hospitals to create awareness and formulate targeted actions to further strengthen their health literacy responsiveness. Its mode of application, formalised by taking inspiration from the RAND method, could be further improved by paying more attention to recruiting and supporting participants. The V-HLO-fr and its added value in real-world projects should now be further tested in a larger number of hospitals.
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