RESUMO
Objective:To construct the concept and its conceptual framework of hospital health literacy(HHL) for exploring the HHL promotion mechanism in the country.Methods:Based on the proceduralised grounded theory, twelve middle or senior managers of hospitals were selected for in-depth interviews and three hospitals were selected for field research from July 2021 to February 2022. Open coding, axial coding, and selective coding were used in data analysis, establishing the concept of HHL and its conceptual framework in China.Results:The conceptual framework of HHL was composed of an internal driver mechanism(hospitals improve their health literacy promotion management system, staff-led health literacy promotion, health literacy promoting physical environment construction), and an external driver mechanism(cooperate with external organizations and institutions to conduct health literacy promotion). The concept of HHL in China was derived as follows: the combination of supportive environments and human resources that health care organizations have in place can improve access and understandability of health information and simplify healthcare services to help patients of different health literacy levels more easily obtain, process, and understand health information as well as to make the most of medical services.Conclusions:Hospital health literacy promotion mechanism in China is a synergy between internal and external driver mechanisms.