| Teaching critical health literacy in the US as a means to action on the social determinants of health. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20729240 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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In spite of improvements in global health over the 20th century, health inequities are increasing. Mounting evidence suggests that reducing health inequities requires taking action on the social determinants of health (SDOH), which include income, education, employment, political empowerment and other factors. This paper introduces an alternative health education curriculum, developed by the US-based non-profit organization Just Health Action, which teaches critical health literacy as a step towards empowering people to achieve health equity. Critical health literacy is defined as an individual's understanding of the SDOH combined with the skills to take action at both the individual and the community level. Prior to describing our curricular framework, we connect the recommendations of the World Health Organization Commission on the SDOH with the objectives of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion by arguing that achieving them is reliant on critical health literacy. Then we describe our four-part curricular framework for teaching critical health literacy. Part 1, Knowledge, focuses on teaching the SDOH and the paradigm of health as a human right. Part 2, Compass, refers to activities that help students find their own direction as a social change agent. Part 3, Skills, refers to teaching specific advocacy tools and strategies. Part 4, Action, refers to the development and implementation of an action intended to increase health equity by addressing the SDOH. We describe activities that we use to motivate, engage and empower students to take action on the SDOH and provide examples of advocacy skills students have learned and actions they have implemented. |
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Authors:
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Elizabeth Mogford; Linn Gould; Andra Devoght |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Date: 2010-08-20 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Health promotion international Volume: 26 ISSN: 1460-2245 ISO Abbreviation: Health Promot Int Publication Date: 2011 Mar |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-02-07 Completed Date: 2011-06-02 Revised Date: 2013-05-28 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 9008939 Medline TA: Health Promot Int Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 4-13 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Sociology, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA. liz.mogford@wwu.edu |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Health Education
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organization & administration* Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Health Literacy / organization & administration* Health Status Disparities* Humans Social Change United States |
| Grant Support | |
ID/Acronym/Agency:
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R24 HD042828-10/HD/NICHD NIH HHS |
| Comments/Corrections | |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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