Does health literacy explain the link between structural stratifiers and adolescent health?

Abstract Background The concept of health literacy (HL) may help us to better understand the mechanisms leading to health disparities, and to focus on the factors that can be influenced. However, not much is yet known about how HL is related to health disparities, or whether the association exists among adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine the associations between structural stratifiers, HL and health indicators among adolescents. Methods The nationally representative Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey data (n=3833) were collected from 13- and 15-year-old pupils in the spring of 2014. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, and separate path models…

Health Education Teachers’ Assessment Conceptions and Practices : Identifying Assessment Profiles

The study explored the latent construct underlying the assessment conceptions and practices of Finnish Health Education teachers (n = 165) in the context of curricula, seeking thereby to identify the teachers’ assessment profiles. Six underlying factors were found to encompass their assessment conceptions and practices, namely Assessment supporting learning, Assessment of working, Self and peer assessment as part of grading, Common assessment criteria, Questionable assessment practices, and Norm-referenced assessment. Via cluster analysis, three distinct assessment profiles were identified, labeled as Problematic assessors, Learning supportive assessors, and Norm-based assessors. These find…

COVID-19: health literacy is an underestimated problem.

Mental health profiles of Finnish adolescents before and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had implications for adolescents’ interpersonal relationships, communication patterns, education, recreational activities and well-being. An understanding of the impact of the pandemic on their mental health is crucial in measures to promote the post-pandemic recovery. Using a person-centered approach, the current study aimed to identify mental health profiles in two cross-sectional samples of Finnish adolescents before and after the peak of the pandemic, and to examine how socio-demographic and psychosocial factors, academic expectations, health literacy, and self-rated health are associated with the emerging profiles. Methods and findings Surv…

Health asset profiles and health indicators among 13- and 15-year-old adolescents

Objectives We examined the associations between adolescents’ health assets and various health indicators (smoking, alcohol use, sleep length, physical activity, healthy eating, oral health, self-reported health, multiple health complaints). Methods A nationally representative sample was drawn from Finnish-speaking schools, comprising 13- and 15-year-old adolescents (n = 3833). The measures taken covered the adolescents’ health assets, which were labelled Family-financial, Psychological, Family-social, Friends-social, School-social, and Human. Our analysis applied two-step cluster analysis and multilevel mixed-effects binary logistic regression. Results Six asset profiles were identified: ‘L…

Critical aspects of student teachers’ conceptions of learning

Abstract The aim of this phenomenographic study was to discover the educationally critical aspects of learning conceptions among health education student teachers (N = 20). The qualitative data consisted of written essays and semi-structured interviews. Six qualitatively distinctive conceptions of learning could be discerned, namely learning as 1) the reproduction of acquired health knowledge, 2) the application of health knowledge, 3) developing personal meanings on health matters, 4) the transformation of individual thinking, 5) personal growth, and 6) collective meaning-making. These qualitatively distinct categories were reflected through three themes, which embodied critical aspects: t…

Measuring Health Literacy in Childhood and Adolescence with the Scale Health Literacy in School-Aged Children – German Version : The Psychometric Properties of the German-Language Version of the WHO Health Survey Scale HLSAC

Abstract. Health literacy can help explain health inequalities in childhood and adolescence. However, suitable instruments for assessing health literacy in this age group are rare, especially in the German-speaking countries. One economical measure is the 10-item Health Literacy in School-Aged Children (HLSAC) scale, developed and reviewed as part of the WHO Child and Adolescent Health Study (HBSC, Health Behavior in School-Aged Children). In the present study, we tested dimensionality, measurement invariance, and associations with health-related measures of the German version of the scale (HLSAC–German), using data from the 2018 national German HBSC study ( N = 4,347 students aged 11, 13,…

Štruktúra zdravotnej gramotnosti u adolescentov [The structure of health literacy in adolescents]

Objectives: The current study dealt with the concept of health literacy in adolescents. The main aim of the study was to examine the structure of adolescents, health literacy. The aim was also to discuss the current need and potential for the development of adolescents, health literacy in educational setting. - Sample and settings: The sample comprised 290 participants from four Slovak elementary schools. The participants were in the 7th and 9th grade. Adolescents, health literacy was measured using HLSAC with additional items approved by the HBSC expert group (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children). Hypothesis. The authors assumed that in the given population, health literacy falls alon…

Health literacy supports active aging

From the individual viewpoint, active aging refers to the ability of older persons, depending on their goals, functional capacity and opportunities, to engage in desired activities. This study investigated the role of health literacy in active aging among persons differing in their number of chronic conditions. Data were collected from 948 individuals, 57% women, aged 75, 80 and 85 in 2017–2018 in the city of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. Health literacy was assessed with the 16-question version of the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q16), active aging with the University of Jyväskylä Active Aging Scale (UJACAS) and self-reported physician-diagnosed chronic conditions. Both health l…

Lasten ja nuorten sosiaalisen median ongelmatilanteet ja tarvittavat turvataidot

Kouluikäiset lapset ja nuoret viettävät päivittäin useita tunteja erilaisilla sosiaalisen median alustoilla (EU Kids, 2020). Keskeisenä kasvu- ja toimintaympäristönä sosiaalinen media (some) luo mahdollisuuksia muun muassa toimijuudelle, oppimiselle ja vuorovaikutukselle, mutta myös erilaisten ongelmatilanteiden rakentumiselle ja kohtaamiselle. Nettikiusaaminen, virheellisen tiedon tai vaarallisten some-haasteiden kohtaamisnen ovat esimerkkejä yleisistä somen ongelmatilanteista. Sosiaalisen median turvataidot ovat nykyajan kansalaistaitoja, joita voidaan opettaa kouluissa esimerkiksi terveystiedon oppitunneilla pelillisin keinoin. nonPeerReviewed

The Impact of School Closure on Adolescents’ Wellbeing, and Steps toward to a New Normal : The Need for an Assessment Tool Update?

International audience; Close to 200 countries have implemented school closures to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Though the closures have seemed necessary, their effects on the wellbeing of children and adolescents have raised serious concerns. To truly understand the impact of such disruption on young people’s wellbeing, and their views on how to move towards a new normal, we must adopt different approaches to gather the data to secure children’s and adolescents’ rights to be heard in the issues that concern their lives. Current ways to examine the impacts of school closure have been dominated by gathering information concerning the children and adolescents, using mainly…

Does health literacy explain regional health disparities among adolescents in Finland?

Summary Health literacy (HL)—as a broad range of health-related competencies—has been proposed to be a promising construct in understanding health disparities better, also among adolescents. Several factors have been found to explain differences in adolescents’ HL levels; however, not much is known about how different regions of a country or majority/minority status is associated with HL, or whether HL is associated with regional health disparities. The aim of this study was to examine and compare HL and health levels among majority- and minority-language-speaking adolescents living in different regions of Finland, and to explore if HL explains regional health disparities, taking into accou…

Student teachers’ ways of experiencing the teaching of health education

The aim of this phenomenographic study was to identify student teachers’ ways of experiencing the teaching of health education, and to determine the aspects that are educationally critical in gaining a deeper understanding of the teaching. Qualitative data (written essays, semi‐structured interviews) were gathered twice during health education teacher training. Teaching was seen as transferring knowledge and skills, supporting the active processing of knowledge, supporting transformation of conceptions, supporting holistic personal growth and building a learning community with the students. The teaching was reflected through five themes: the nature of the knowledge, the source of the knowle…

The Children of Risk Communication

For the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, risk communication has been a much-needed preventive and educative action to support citizens – including children – to adopt preventive and health protective measures. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only health concern at hand that has raised concerns about the health status of children and required disease-preventive strategies. Bearing in mind the mental health problems and learning losses reported during the pandemic, in this commentary, we will argue that by now, it is time to consider critically if there could be more space for positive communication and education, both alongside and as an integral part of risk communication, to…

Die ethischen Grundlagen für die Entwicklung von Health Literacy in Schulen

Schulen gelten als entscheidende Lebenswelten fur die Forderung von Health Literacy, allerdings erfolgt diese Festlegung ohne ausreichende Reflexion uber ihre ethischen Grundlagen. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht von der Pramisse aus, dass Ethik grundlegend fur alle Bildungsaspekte ist und folgt in der Entfaltung der Argumentation einem Eine-Welt-Ansatz, der Verallgemeinerungen fur sowohl den sogenannten Globalen Norden wie den Globalen Suden anstrebt. Die Ausarbeitung untersucht zunachst, warum Health Literacy in Schulen gefordert werden sollte, und spricht sich dafur aus, dass die Zielsetzung einer Forderung die mit sozialer Gerechtigkeit einhergehenden Werte miteinbezieht und nicht bei indi…

WHO Working Group on Health Literacy in Schools

Abstract Background Addressing children`s and adolescents` health literacy is a bedrock for personal and societal growth, health and wellbeing over the life-course, and sustainable development in the WHO European Region and beyond. Promoting health literacy competencies should already be addressed in schools. To outline a strategy for the national education sectors, WHO Europe has launched a working group on health literacy in schools, which aims to develop a conceptual framework for decision makers within the educational and health sector to advocate for health literacy, facilitate the implementation process, and support the uptake on the national level. Methods Based on expert workshops a…

Finnish pupils' perceptions of health education as a school subject.

Only a few countries have introduced health education (HE) as a stand-alone school subject. In Finland every pupil in basic education grades 7–9 takes three obligatory courses in HE. This study investigated Finnish pupils’ perceptions of the teaching and learning of HE. It also explored how school- and family-related background variables are associated with these perceptions. Nationally representative data were obtained from a 2010 school-based study on Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC). A total of 4262 pupils from 7th and 9th grades (13 and 15 years old) responded anonymously to the questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the associations betwee…

Teacher Competencies in Health Education : Results of a Delphi Study

peer-reviewed THE LINK TO THE DATA SET FOR THIS ARTICLE IS: URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10344/4736 Objective The aim of this research study was to identify the core competencies for health education teachers in supporting the development of health literacy among their students. Method/Results A three round Delphi method was employed. Experts in health education were asked to identify core competencies for school health educators. Twenty six participants from the academic field were invited to participate in the study. Twenty participants completed the first round of the Delphi, while eighteen took part in round two and fifteen participated in the final round. Data were collected using an ele…

The role of health literacy in explaining regional health differences among adolescents

Abstract Background Health disparities in adolescence track forward to adulthood. In understanding disparities better, health literacy (HL) - as a broad range of health-related competencies - has been identified as a valuable construct. Higher HL has been associated with better health outcomes, also among adolescents. Not much is known about how language or region in a bilingual country is associated with HL, or how HL is associated with regional health disparities. The aim of this study, in a bilingual country, was a) to examine and compare HL and health levels among majority and minority language speaking adolescents in different regions of Finland, and b) to explore if HL explains possib…

The cross-national measurement invariance of the health literacy for school-aged children (HLSAC) instrument

Background Health literacy (HL) is an important determinant of health and health behaviours, and there is a need to monitor HL levels among all population groups. It is therefore essential to develop instruments to assess HL during childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to examine the cross-national measurement invariance of the instrument Health Literacy for School-aged Children (HLSAC) in four European countries. Methods The data were collected via standardized self-administered anonymous questionnaires within classrooms in Finland, Poland, Slovakia, and Belgium. There were in total 1468 respondents (aged 13, N = 690; aged 15, N = 778). The HLSAC instrument was used to measu…

Ethical issues in the teaching and learning of health topics in schools: the conceptions of teacher trainees

There has been little research on how teacher trainees can be educated to deal with ethical issues, or on trainees' conceptions of these issues. Using written essays, this study aimed to examine health education teacher trainees' (N = 35) conceptions of the ethical aspects involved in teaching and learning health topics. A qualitative content analysis revealed three broad themes: health education as an ethical subject, the teacher as an ethical professional, and spaces for learning. The results reflect the content areas focused on in health education teacher training, and provide new insights into topics that can be useful in developing teacher training. peerReviewed

Health literacy and participation in sports club activities among adolescents

Aims: The aim of this research was to compare the levels of perceived health literacy among adolescents who do or do not participate in sports club activities. Organized sport club activities reach a high proportion of adolescents, and have the potential to contribute to the development of their health literacy. Methods: The cross-sectional data on health literacy among school children in Finland (aged 13 and 15, n=3852) were measured, as a part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study, using the Health Literacy for School-aged Children (HLSAC) instrument. Sports club participation and its association with health literacy were examined in relation to age, gender, family…

Widening horizons : a phenomenographic study of student teachers' conceptions of health education and its teaching and learning

Lasten ja nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa : LIITU-tutkimuksen tuloksia 2018

Adolescent health literacy in 3 European cities and its association with smoking and smoking beliefs

Abstract Background Beliefs about smoking have been found to be associated with smoking behaviour. Similarly, health literacy (HL) as a competence to make health-related decisions has been identified as an independent factor to explain differences in smoking. However, little is known about adolescents’ HL in different countries, and how HL is associated with health behaviour and health-related beliefs. The aim of this study is to describe the levels of HL in three European cities, and how HL is associated with smoking and beliefs about smoking consequences. Methods In 2016 as part of SILNE-R study, 5,088 adolescents aged 14 to 16 years answered a school survey in Amersfoort (NL), Hanover (G…

The development and alignment of pedagogical conceptions of health education

Abstract This study examined the development and alignment of conceptions of health education as a subject, and of its teaching and learning, among Finnish health education student teachers (n = 20). Longitudinal phenomenographic data (essays, interviews) were collected at two time points during health education studies, and at one time point after the participants had gained 1–3 years of work experience. The proportion of participants expressing the most sophisticated pedagogical conceptions decreased during teacher training, but increased after the gaining of work experience. Moreover, fewer than half of the participants expressed pedagogical conceptions that advanced in broad alignment w…

Three Approaches to School Health Education as a Means to Higher Levels of Health Literacy

It is widely acknowledged that school health education is an important means for supporting the development of pupils’ health literacy. A growing number of papers have described or suggested a variety of classroom-based and whole-school practices for developing health literacy. However, few of these papers have systematically addressed the various ways of approaching health education in schools or sought to analyze how these approaches differ from each other. This paper aims to do this. It does so by representing three approaches to school health education: the facts and skills approach, the individual thinking approach, and the personal growth and citizenship approach. The approaches diffe…

Nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa : LIITU-tutkimuksen tuloksia 2020

Measuring child and adolescent health literacy: a systematic review of literature

PurposeA systematic review of literature was conducted to compile, analyse and describe the methodology and measurement of childhood/adolescent health literacy.Design/methodology/approachSix online databases (ERIC, PubMed, CINAHL, Biomed Central, Web of Science and Sports Discuss) were systematically searched to identify English language, peer‐reviewed articles, published between 1980 and April 2011, which reported on the measurement of health literacy in a population under the age of 18. The search identified 16 articles to be included in the final review, from which, data were systematically extracted in order to answer four review questions concerning several aspects of the method and ef…

Student teachers' ways of experiencing the objective of health education as a school subject: A phenomenographic study

Abstract The aim of this phenomenographic study was to identify student teachers' (N = 20) ways of experiencing health education as a school subject, using semi-structured interviews and essays. The findings indicated that the target phenomenon was discussed through the general objective of the subject in five ways: health education as 1) a context for delivering theoretical knowledge, 2) a channel for providing pupils with practical knowledge and skills to contribute to health-related choices, 3) a means to promote pupils' self-regulative knowledge and independent thinking, 4) a context for personal growth, and 5) a means for developing responsible behavior in society. The hierarchically-o…

A Comparative Study on Adolescents’ Health Literacy in Europe: Findings from the HBSC Study

(1) Background: There is a need for studies on population-level health literacy (HL) to identify the current state of HL within and between countries. We report comparative findings from 10 European countries (Austria, Belgium (Fl), Czechia, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Macedonia, Poland, and Slovakia) on adolescents&rsquo

Cross-national validation of the social media disorder scale: findings from adolescents from 44 countries

Background and aims: There is currently no cross-national validation of a scale that measures problematic social media use (SMU). The present study investigated and compared the psychometric properties of the social media disorder (SMD) scale among young adolescents from different countries. Design: Validation study. Setting and participants: Data came from 222 532 adolescents from 44 countries participating in the health behaviour in school-aged children (HBSC) survey (2017/2018). The HBSC survey was conducted in the European region and Canada. Participants were on average aged 13.54 years (standard deviation = 1.63) and 51.24% were girls. Measurement: Problematic SMU was measured using th…

Associations between adolescents’ energy drink consumption frequency and several negative health indicators

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to identify how various negative health indicators are associated with energy drink consumption frequency among 13- and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents. Methods Data (N = 2429) from the nationally representative international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (2018) were analyzed via descriptive analysis and logistic regression analyses, with control for salient covariates. Relative risks (RR) were derived from the adjusted odds ratios. Results Even infrequent energy drink consumption was associated with various negative health indicators. Moreover, as compared to non-users, frequent energy drink consumers were more likely to re…

Health literacy and the school curriculum : The example of Finland

Health Literacy : Talking the Language of (School) Education

The role of health literacy in the association between academic performance and substance use.

Abstract Background To address social inequalities in adolescent substance use and consequent disparities in health, it is important to identify the mechanisms of the association between substance use and academic performance. We study the role of health literacy (HL) in the association between academic performance and weekly smoking, monthly alcohol use and cannabis ever-use among adolescents in Europe. Methods SILNE-R school survey data, which was collected in 2016–17 with paper-and-pencil-method from Hanover (GE), Amersfoort (NL) and Tampere (FI), were used (N = 5088, age 13–19). Health Literacy for School-aged Children instrument was used to assess students’ HL. Logistic regression anal…

Subjective health literacy among school-aged children

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore Finnish adolescents’ subjective health literacy (HL) in association to school achievement, learning difficulties, educational aspirations, and family affluence. Design/methodology/approach Nationally representative data were collected in Finland as a part of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. The respondents consisted in total of 3,833 adolescents (7th and 9th graders) from 359 schools. The Health Literacy for School-aged Children instrument was applied to measure adolescents’ subjective HL, while the Family Affluence Scale was used to measure adolescents’ socioeconomic status. Information was gathered on school…

Coronavirus-related health literacy and perceived restrictiveness of protective measures among community-dwelling older persons in Finland

Abstract Background Older people with limited health literacy may encounter difficulties in finding relevant information on COVID-19, understanding its relevance, and complying with recommended protective measures. Complying with such recommendations has required older as well as younger persons to change their daily lives in ways that have reduced their opportunities for engaging in many activities meaningful to them. Aims To find out from what sources older people have obtained information on protective measures, the level of their coronavirus-related health literacy (CHL), and whether CHL is associated with their perceptions of the restrictiveness of coronavirus-related protective measur…

Problematic Social Media Use and Health among Adolescents

1) Background: The use of social media has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives. However, the intensive use of social media can develop into a health-threatening addiction, but unfavourable health consequences can occur even with less use. Social media user groups categorized as no-risk, moderate risk (of developing problematic behaviour), and problematic use were examined with reference to their prevalence, their associations with individual determinants and health, and the increased health risk between groups. (2) Methods: The Finnish nationally representative HBSC data (persons aged 11, 13, and 15, n = 3408) and descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis were appl…

Assessment of health literacy among older Finns

Aims: This study examined the feasibility of the HLS-EU-Q16 (in Finnish) for use among older Finns and whether the health literacy score correlates with indicators of health and functioning. Methods: To determine the feasibility of the instrument, we first conducted a focus group discussion with nine participants. For the quantitative analyses, we used data from the AGNES cohort study, collected between October 2017 and April 2018 at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. 292 75-year-old Finnish men and women were interviewed face-to-face in their homes. Health literacy was measured with the HLS-EU-Q16 and health literacy score, ranging from 0 to 50, computed. The reproducibility of the in…

Does health literacy explain regional health disparities among adolescents in Finland?

Health literacy (HL)—as a broad range of health-related competencies—has been proposed to be a promising construct in understanding health disparities better, also among adolescents. Several factors have been found to explain differences in adolescents’ HL levels; however, not much is known about how different regions of a country or majority/minority status is associated with HL, or whether HL is associated with regional health disparities. The aim of this study was to examine and compare HL and health levels among majority- and minority-language-speaking adolescents living in different regions of Finland, and to explore if HL explains regional health disparities, taking into account other…

"Missed" Information: A Moral Failing that Erodes Efforts to Tackle the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Profiles of Internet Use and Health in Adolescence : A Person-Oriented Approach

(1) Background: Internet use has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives. It is important to understand how adolescents use the internet, and how this use is associated with demographic factors and health from a person-oriented perspective. (2) Methods: The study applied the Finnish nationally representative HBSC data (persons aged 11, 13, and 15, n = 3408), descriptive observation, latent class analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. (3) Results: Entertainment activities (listening to music) and socially oriented activities (liking posts, talking online) were the most prevalent among adolescents, but gender differences emerged. Five different internet user profi…

Ethical underpinnings for the development of health literacy in schools : ethical premises (‘why’), orientations (‘what’) and tone (‘how’)

Background Schools are seen as crucial environments to influence and develop the health literacy of new generations, but without sufficient reflection on the ethical underpinnings of intentions and interventions around health literacy. In contrast, we argue here that ethics are fundamental to all education. The article adopts a ‘One world’ approach that generalizes broadly across the so-called Global North and Global South. It also generalizes across various age groups among school pupils, advocating age appropriate application of the arguments advanced. Main text Our analysis examines why health literacy should be promoted in schools and argues that the purpose should embrace the values of…

Cross‐national validation of the Social Media Disorder‐scale : Findings from adolescents from 44 countries

Background and aims There is currently no cross-national validation of a scale that measures problematic social media use (SMU). The present study investigated and compared the psychometric properties of the Social Media Disorder (SMD)-scale among young adolescents from different countries. Design Validation study. Setting and participants Data came from 222,532 adolescents from 44 countries participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey (2017/2018). The HBSC survey was conducted in the European region and Canada. Participants were on average 13.5 years old (SD = 1.6) and 51.2% were girls. Measurement Problematic SMU was measured using the 9-item SMD-scale with …

Objective health literacy skills among ninth graders in Finland : outcomes from a national learning assessment

Background:Health literacy (HL) is an important determinant for maintaining and improving health throughout the lifespan. This underlines the need to monitor HL, including among adolescents, and to understand the factors explaining HL, with a view to decreasing differences in HL. The aim of this study was to objectively measure HL, and the relationship between HL and socio-demographic factors (gender, language of instruction, pupils’ educational aspirations, parents’ educational background and pupils’ school achievement) among pupils ( n = 3652) at the end of basic education in Finland.Methods:A nationally representative assessment, which included 55 items on HL, was conducted as a traditio…

Adolescent Health Literacy and Neighbourhood Features: HBSC Findings from Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia

The role of supportive environments on health, wellbeing, and longevity has been widely recognized. However, there is no strong empirical evidence on the association between health literacy (HL) as a particular health-related competence and neighbourhoods. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the association between the features of neighbourhoods and the level of HL competencies of young people from three countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia). Self-reported data from an international sample of 11,521 students aged 13–15 years participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study (HBSC) in the year 2018 were included in the analyses. The level of HL shows a stro…

Health literacy as a learning outcome in schools

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to define health literacy as a learning outcome in schools, and to describe the learning conditions that are relevant for targeting health literacy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on theoretical and empirical educational literature, and also the experiences of the authors.FindingsHealth literacy is defined as consisting of five core components: theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge, critical thinking, self‐awareness, and citizenship. The first three components are rather similar to the commonly‐accepted health literacy concept, but the definition given in this paper expands the concept via two additional – but essential – components. It is emp…

Addressing health literacy in schools in the WHO European Region

Health literacy is a key determinant of health (1). Several studies have reported a positive association between high levels of health literacy and better health outcomes in children (2-4). For example, the WHO collaborative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey found that health literacy is one of the main factors contributing to health differences and is associated with educational outcomes such as academic achievement and post-school aspirations (4). Health literacy is a useful phenomenon in the understanding and reduction of avoidable health disparities because it can be learned and developed (4–6). However, children’s health literacy should not merely be seen as a risk…

Adolescents’ online communication and well-being : Findings from the 2018 health behavior in school-aged children (HBSC) study

Background: Digital transformation has influenced all areas of adolescents’ lives, including the ways adolescents maintain friendships. Interpersonal communication is one of the most common activities while online. Online communication may provide adolescents with opportunities to expand their social contacts, but these encounters can be risky, especially when the communication is with unknown people on the internet. This study examined the associations between different forms of online communication behavior and well-being. Materials and methods: Data were collected from Finnish adolescents as part of the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study in 2018. The participants were 3…

Measuring Health Literacy in Basic Education in Finland : The Development of a Curriculum- and Performance-Based Measurement Instrument

This paper describes the development of an objective curriculum- and performance-based health literacy (HL) measurement instrument to assess Finnish 9th graders’ learning outcomes in the school subject termed Health Education (HE). There were four phases: (i) construction of the theoretical framework for the measurement, (ii) item generation, (iii) the field test (n = 252), and (iv) item analysis and item selection for the main study, in which 3652 ninth grade pupils (aged 15–16) participated. Initially, 303 HL test items were formulated, of which 107 were tested in two different field test versions. Both versions exhibited high reliability as measured by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The m…

Energy Drink Consumption Among Finnish Adolescents: Prevalence, Associated Background Factors, Individual Resources, and Family Factors.

Objectives: Energy drink consumption among adolescents has become a notable global phenomenon, and has been associated with numerous negative health outcomes. In order to understand the popularity of energy drinks among adolescents, and to target interventions, it is important to identify the determinants underpinning consumption. Methods: The nationally representative data (cross-sectional) were drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2018, each comprising 13- and 15-year-old Finnish adolescents (n = 7405). Results: Weekly energy drink consumption increased among Finnish adolescents between 2014 (18.2%) and 2018 (24.4%), especially amon…

LIITU 2018 -tutkimus : liikunnan merkitysten kirjo on kaventunut

Hieman reilu kolmasosa suomalaislapsista ja -nuorista liikkui suosituksen mukaan – toimintarajoitteita kokevista joka neljäs. Lasten ja nuorten liikunnalle antamien merkitysten kirjo oli kaventunut ja esteet vahvistuneet, vaikka koettu pätevyys ja liikuntamotivaatio olivat korkealla. Suurin osa lapsista ja nuorista kannatti urheilun eettisten sääntöjen noudattamista. Säännöllinen liikkuminen oli myönteisesti yhteydessä koettuun terveyteen. Säännöllisesti liikkuvilla oli myös vähemmän yksinäisyyden kokemuksia. nonPeerReviewed

Subjective health literacy : Development of a brief instrument for school-aged children

Aims: The present paper focuses on the measurement of health literacy (HL), which is an important determinant of health and health behaviours. HL starts to develop in childhood and adolescence; hence, there is a need for instruments to monitor HL among younger age groups. These instruments are still rare. The aim of the project reported here was, therefore, to develop a brief, multidimensional, theory-based instrument to measure subjective HL among school-aged children. Methods: The development of the instrument covered four phases: item generation based on a conceptual framework; a pilot study ( n = 405); test–retest ( n = 117); and construction of the instrument ( n = 3853). All the samp…