Strengthening Health Literacy Through Structured Sessions for Non-Communicable Diseases in Low-Resource Settings: The Learning Nest Model.

Health literate self-management education is at stake for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases in low resources settings and countries. Here we describe the Learning Nest in Ordinary Context (NA-CO in French, Nids d'Apprentissage en Contexte Ordinaire) aiming at the structuring of health education programs at the micro- (education sessions) and the meso-levels (adapted to context). The Learning Nest model was designed based on a combination on health literacy principles and on studies conducted with vulnerable people with non-communicable diseases. Observation of NA-CO active-learning sessions found them to be operational and relevant as they center on access, understanding, and use of health information while integrating the ordinary context of learners. The Learning Nest packages (including several adapted thematic sessions, training of trainers and development in context) were shown to be feasible and realistic in diverse locations (Reunion, Mali, Mayotte, Mauritius, Burundi). Qualitative and intervention studies have documented the potential usefulness of the Learning Nest model for context- and setting-specific health literacy interventions.

Health literacy in context: struggling to self-manage diabetes - a longitudinal qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Considering health literacy needs is a key component of health services responsiveness to diabetes self-management among vulnerable individuals. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a detailed analysis of the health literacy of people with type 2 diabetes in relation to their daily self-care practices. DESIGN: Nested qualitative study in the ERMIES randomised controlled trial testing a 2-year structured care in type 2 diabetes. First round of semidirected interviews at the beginning of the trial with thematic analysis of content. Second round at the completion with directed interviews guided by the first round's themes together with Health Literacy Questionnaire. SETTINGS: Interviews conducted at home. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-four (31 females/13 males, 30-79 years, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)≥7.5%) consecutive participants out of 100 recruited in the ERMIES trial from 4 diabetology outpatient settings (Reunion Island). Forty-two respondents to the second round interviews. RESULTS: Three poles structured into eight themes characterised practices in context: health knowledge, disease management, expertise and social support. The relationships of participants in each of the eight themes were differentiated, ranging from functional to interactive and critical. Treatment and follow-up were essentially functional, while diet and exercise remained more interactive. Social support and relationship to health professionals were important determinants of disease management. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment management and disease monitoring remain primarily the job of health professionals, as opposed to diet, physical activity and social support being part of ordinary practice. Decision-making, as a shared social task, as well as resources for participation in health services, should be considered for relevant interventions in type 2 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01425866.

Characterisation of health literacy strengths and weaknesses among people at metabolic and cardiovascular risk: Validity testing of the Health Literacy Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVES: Health literacy refers to the ability of individuals to gain access to, use, and understand health information and services in order to maintain a good health. The assessment of health literacy profiles in a population is potentially crucial to respond to health needs. The Health Literacy Questionnaire explores nine dimensions of health literacy and has been shown to display robust psychometric properties. The aim was to test the validity of the multidimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire and to describe the health literacy profiles in a French population at risk of cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires from 175 participants attending health education and support programmes in local associations of patients in Paris. Analysis included scale reliability, confirmatory factor analysis, and health literacy profiles via descriptive statistics. RESULTS: In confirmatory factor analysis, the nine-factor structure was close to the original Health Literacy Questionnaire. A nine-factor confirmatory factor analysis model was fitted to the 44 items with no cross-loadings or correlated residuals allowed. Given the restricted nature of the model, the fit was satisfactory: χ2 WLSMV(866 df) = 1383.81, p = 0.0000, comparative fit index = 0.925, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.918, root mean square error of approximation = 0.058, weighted root mean square residual = 1.175. Composite reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.91. Among the 9 scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire, the highest scores were found for scale 1 'Feeling understood and supported by healthcare professionals' and scale 9 'Understand health information enough to know what to do' and the lowest for scale 2 'Having sufficient information to manage my health' and scale 7 'Navigating the healthcare system'. CONCLUSION: The French version of the Health Literacy Questionnaire was shown to be psychometrically robust with good reliability. In the context of France, the 9 scales of Health Literacy Questionnaire allow a thorough assessment of health literacy strengths and weaknesses to respond to health literacy needs and improve the accessibility of health information and services.

[Analysis of trainers' « effective practice ¼ in patient therapeutic education] / Analyse des « pratiques effectives ¼ des formateurs en éducation thérapeutique du patient.

Introduction : development of Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE) incites healthcare professionals to introduce in their pratices an educational dimension. Objective : existing few works on the « effective ¼ practices of the TPE trainers, this exploratory research aims at giving a perspective on what cancharacterize their pratices in teaching situation. Method : by taking support on the workson teaching pratices observation in Educational sciences, several sessions of TPE were observed, recorded and analysed by focusing on the forms and the contents of the verbal interactions near the trainers. Results : the results underline variations intra and interpersonal on guidance model of the trainers. Discussion : these results are to be put in links to the design of the sessions, professionals training and public receipted. Conclusion : effective practices observation, complemented withdeclared practices, is a tool of analysis susceptible to inform educationnal posture of the trainer in aim of knowledge and professionalization.