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Philip Girvan Atlantic Summer Institute

Charlottetown, PE
StFX University
August 20, 2010
 Presentation Objectives:

1. Discuss the two emerging models of

health literacy

2. Explore using the Circle of Health©

(1996) as a practical, hands-on tool,
to promote health literacy.
Expert panel on health literacy's
definition of health literacy (CPHA,
2008)

‡ The ability to access, understand,

evaluate, and communicate
information as a way to promote,
maintain and improve health in a
number of settings across the life-
course.
 sackground
‡ >60% of Canadians do not have ³the skills
necessary to manage their own health to
an acceptable degree´ (Canadian Council
on Learning, 2007).

‡ The elderly, the unemployed, and

immigrants have been identified as
particularly vulnerable to health literacy
issues (Canadian Council on Learning,
2008).
Health literacy as a clinical risk

Nutbeam 2008: 2074

Health literacy as a personal asset

Nutbeam, 2008: 2076

 ]ethods
‡ One on one semi-structured
interviews with 3 English as an
Additional Language teachers
 Findings
‡ Teachers who defined health in terms
of wellbeing defined health literacy in
terms akin to Nutbeam¶s personal
asset model.

‡ Those teachers felt they had a role in

developing students¶ health literacy.
Others did not.
Health literacy as a personal asset
‡ the µasset¶ concept lends itself to a
broader application outside of health care
settings for example into schools, adult
learning, and community development
programs (Nutbeam, 2008).
Implications of interpreting health
literacy as a personal asset
‡ Health literacy transcends the
individual.

‡ Health literacy also transcends the

clinical encounter.

‡ Individual and systems barriers

affecting health literacy.
The Expert Panel noted the following
systems barriers
1.lack of affordable English/French as an Additional
Language programs and community-based literacy
upgrading programs;

2.inadequate workplace training and education;

3.confusing or conflicting health information from the

media and the Internet;

4.complex health systems; and,

5.lack of awareness and knowledge about health

literacy among health and literacy professionals.
 Circle of Health© (1996)
‡ Can stimulate discussion regarding how
the social determinants of health interact
and intersect to influence health.

‡ Learners cooperate & collaborate to

develop critical health literacy skills.

‡ Valuable for curriculum design & lesson

planning.
 Úeferences
‡ Canadian Council on Learning. |
 






   

  


 

. Ottawa, ON. 2007.

‡ Canadian Council of Learning. |
 





|

 
 . Ottawa. Ottawa, ON. 2008.

‡ ]itchell, T., & seattie-Huggan, P. ³Determinants of health

approaches: The circle of health as a synthesis tool´.
 


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!
 " 
 44 ().
2006. 78-82

‡ Nutbeam, D. ³The Evolving Concept of Health

Literacy´.  
   #$   67. 2008. 2072-2078.

‡ Úootman, I. & Gordon-El-sihbety, D. % 
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. Canadian Public Health Association. 2008.
 Contact information
‡ pgirvan@stfx.ca

‡ http://twitter.com/pgirvan

‡ http://www.scribd.com/philipgirvan
 Thanks
This presentation opportunity would be
impossible without the support of the
National Collaborating Centres for Public
Health, St. Francis Xavier University, and
the organizers of the Atlantic Summer
Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities.

Thanks to them & thanks to you.