Patient awareness and increased self-sufficiency (or advanced level of Health Literacy) is considered a potential tool to reduce healthcare costs and improve efficiency of the health systems, strengthen healthcare quality. Advanced level of Health Literacy has become an element of high priority in the EU health strategy, supported by national and regional health authorities. Advanced level of Health Literacy, which was adopted in 2012 by member states of the European political framework "Health 2020", is an essential dimension.• Comparative Report On Health Literacy In Eight EU Member States (The European Health Literacy Project 2009-2012)• 2008-2013 EU funded actions to support the EU Public Health priorities - Nutrition and Physical Activity Actions addressing Obesity• European Framework for Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing, EU Joint Action On Mental Health And Wellbeing,AIMSIndividuals with an advanced level of Health Literacy develop their own capacity to take an active role in health services they get. This awareness allows them to acquire information about health more easily and to ‘self-manage’ their own health services. In the context of an ageing population and increasing number of chronic patients, patient empowerment is a key tool to reduce healthcare costs and improve quality and efficiency of the healthcare delivery process.The project foresees a training program as part of a life-long learning process. The project objectives can be described as follows:• Designing and implementing effective provisions for enhancing the basic skills and key competences.• Open and innovative education, training and youth work, embedded in the digital era.• Extending and developing educators' competences.PARTICIPANTSThere are 6 partners from 4 countries in the HEAL-EU project. The project includes a University, NGOs (which is working in the education and health fields), a governorship, a social science research, training and consultancy institute and public agencies dedicated to education of the people and the Provincial Directorate for National Education.The partners possess the technical, operational and managerial capacities to carry out required activities and produce relevant outputs.ACTIVITIESPartners will carry out the following activities:1. Develop and operate the Heal-EU Platform2. Develop “training of trainers guidelines”3. Carry out the "Health Literacy Survey" Assessment in 4 project partner countries4. Develop “Health Literacy Training” training format, content and material5. Translate training content into 4 languages6. Conduct field trials of the “Health Literacy Training Module and Material” for assessment and validation.The project’s results;1. HEAL-EU Platform 2. Training of Trainers Guideline3. Healthy Recipes Book4. HEAL-EU Training Module and Education Training Module (with innovative toolkits; training materials, video, guidelines, lessons learned, etc) 5. Implemention of the trainings of trainers ( doctor, nurse and trainer for adults) in 4 countries6. E-Learning Document7. Dissemination and exposition (seminars, blogs, social networking sites, ect)Other stakeholders in the project are the Ministry of Health, relevant institutions, the Ministry of Education, relevant institutions and private schools which can use HEAL-EU Training Module and Education Training Module of the project.All the partners will establish the project results in their respective management and operational frameworks.The following standards will be used to assess the impacts of the project:Local / regional policy makers reached: (At least 50 per partner ) 300Local / regional trainers/teachers reached: (At least 50 per partner ) 300National Policy Makers reached: (At least 50 per partner ) 300EU Policy Makers reached : (MEPs from the involved Countries) 350EU / International stakeholders reached : 30 Dissemination activities will be defined within the dissemination which will be built in strict cooperation among all the partners.Different targets will be selected, and consequently different communication actions and tools will be developed. HEAL-EU uses a variety of tools and channels for dissemination, placed in strategic moments during the project lifetime, to ensure effective communication and the achievement of a long term multiplying and sustainable effect.The nature of the partnership, characterized by educational partners, NGOs, health authorities operating on with patients and vulnerable citizens and University is reflected within the dissemination strategy, involving key actors in each activity (also as supporters like the National Public Bodies with competencies on Health), adapting tools
WHO defines health as not merely the absence of diseases and disability; health is complete well being in physical, psychological and socially. Health literacy (HL) is people’s social and cognitive skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to understand and use information to promote and maintain good health. According to 2009 UNESCO report 776 million world population and currently %50 of US adult population don’t have the basic HL. In a recent study conducted in 8 European countries using European HL survey, %47.6 population have inadequate and problematic HL score; HL is related to use of health services as well. People with low HL use preventative health measures like breast cancer screening facilities and flu vaccinations less frequently. There is also relationship people having low HL and increased number of health clinic visits and hospitalization. Low HL is also a factor for people using emergency health care services more than average. Inadequate HL have individual as well as economic impact on the resource of the nations. Self efficacy (SE) is optimistic self beliefs how one could cope with difficulties one may face. If individuals are aware of their responsibilities in preserving and promoting their health and carry out their duties of self care they could cope with their health problems. SE scale developed by Schwarzer et all. is not specific to any area but can determine general SE reliably. There were six partners; Gazi University was the coordinator, members of Department of Public Health at the Medical Faculty carried out project tasks. Because of its expertise and resources in health promotion, the public health department led the project during all the project tasks. Ankara National Education Directory had public education centers this improved the public adult education opportunities of the project. Since Governorship of Ankara is the principal governor of the province and provincial health department; they helped to increase public awareness of health literacy and they facilitated reaching wider health and educational positions within the city and nationally. ISIS Sozialforschung worked with disadvantaged and elderly group which helped to increase HL awareness among those who had low HL. OMNIS worked with immigrants and disadvantaged groups who were generally need more uplifting in HL. BDA worked with general population and helped creating social policies. Main Project Activities Creation of web page (OER platform); the project web page shared all the information and findings of the project and its activities. HL education materials were provided on the web page in project partner countries languages. HL and general self efficacy level in partner countries were determined, based on these results, literature search and health services an evidence based need analysis was carried out. Based on the need analysis a HL education program and its contents, materials and methods were developed, then applied and evaluated on 400 adults. An education program with contents and evaluation to improve education skills of the educators for the general public in HL was developed, applied and evaluated; 12 educators participated. Dissemination activities, multiplier events were organized to increase awareness about HL for the general public and health policy setters. After adult HL education programs and awareness activities, HL score of the target groups were increased significantly. The developed materials in HL for the educators and the general public based on the need analysis were the first of its kind in Europe. The project added and complemented the works of partners by including HL in their portfolio who were already active in related areas; and promoted the HL level of their population. HL has become the main working areas of Gazi University project group; the project web page will be active and updated for years to come. Gazi University will continue providing HL education for the general public and for its graduates with the developed educational materials of the project. Gazi University introduced HL courses at the graduate level during the project; a new higher education project is under preparation for implementation of HL courses in curriculum at national and European level. National partners are still collaborating in HL related areas, since international partners are non governmental and in adult education they will provide HL materials and activities in their future endeavors. The project groups work started during the project with Turkish Ministry of Health in HL education is continuing. The ongoing work will result application of project outputs at national level. HL is a contemporary issue in Turkey, Europe and world wide; HL has potential implications in preserving and promoting health at many levels in our countries. This project has been an exemplary health literacy project at national and European level and received positive feedback.