Establishing the efficacy of interventions to improve health literacy and health behaviours: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of this review was to establish whether health literacy interventions, in adults, are effective for improving health literacy. Two secondary aims assessed the impact of health literacy interventions on health behaviours and whether health literacy interventions have been conducted in cardiovascular patients. METHODS: A systematic review (Prospero registration: CRD42018110772) with no start date running through until April 2020. Eligible studies were conducted in adults and included a pre/post measure of health literacy. Medline, Embase, Eric, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Psychology and Behavioural Science, HMIC, Web of Science, Scopus, Social Care Online, NHS Scotland Journals, Social Policy and Practice, and Global Health were searched. Two thousand one hundred twenty-seven papers were assessed, and 57 full text papers screened to give 22 unique datasets from 23 papers. Risk of bias was assessed regarding randomisation, allocation sequence concealment, blinding, incomplete outcome data, selective outcome reporting and other biases. Intervention reporting quality was assessed using the TIDieR checklist. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included reporting on 10,997 participants in nine countries. The majority of studies (14/22) were published in 2018 or later. Eight studies (n = 1268 participants) also reported on behavioural outcomes. Health literacy interventions resulted in improvements in at least some aspect of health literacy in 15/22 studies (n = 10,180 participants) and improved behavioural outcomes in 7/8 studies (n = 1209 participants). Only two studies were conducted with cardiovascular patients. All studies were at risk of bias with 18 judged as high risk. In addition, there was poor reporting of intervention content with little explication of the theoretical basis for the interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Health literacy interventions can improve health literacy and can also lead to changes in health behaviours. Health literacy interventions offer a way to improve outcomes for populations most at risk of health inequalities. Health literacy is a developing field with very few interventions using clear theoretical frameworks. Closer links between health literacy and behaviour change theories and frameworks could result in higher quality and more effective interventions. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: Prospero registration: CRD42018110772.

Barriers and facilitators to participating in cardiac rehabilitation and physical activity: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been shown to be the greatest cause of death worldwide and rates continue to increase. It is recommended that CVD patients attend cardiac rehabilitation (CR) following a cardiac event to reduce mortality, improve recovery and positively influence behaviour around CVD risk factors. Despite the recognised benefits and international recommendations for exercise-based CR, uptake and attendance remain suboptimal. A greater understanding of CR barriers and facilitators is required, not least to inform service development. Through understanding current cardiac patients' attitudes and opinions around CR and physical activity (PA) could inform patient-led improvements. Moreover, through understanding aspects of CR and PA that participants like/dislike could provide healthcare providers and policy makers with information around what elements to target in the future. AIM: To investigate participants' attitudes and opinions around CR and PA. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design on 567 cardiac patients. Cardiac patients who were referred for standard CR classes at a hospital in the Scottish Highlands, from May 2016 to May 2017 were sampled. As part of a larger survey, the current study analysed the free-text responses to 5 open-ended questions included within the wider survey. Questions were related to the participants' experience of CR, reasons for non-attendance, ideas to increase attendance and their opinions on PA. Qualitative data were analysed using a 6-step, reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Two main topic areas were explored: "Cardiac rehabilitation experience" and "physical activity". Self-efficacy was increased as a result of attending CR due to exercising with similar individuals and the safe environment offered. Barriers ranged from age and health to distance and starting times of the classes which increased travel time and costs. Moreover, responses demonstrated a lack of information and communication around the classes. Respondents highlighted that the provision of more classes and classes being held out with working hours, in addition to a greater variety would increase attendance. In terms of PA, respondents viewed this as different to the CR experience. Responses demonstrated increased freedom when conducting PA with regards to the location, time and type of exercise conducted. CONCLUSION: Changes to the structure of CR may prove important in creating long term behaviour change after completing the rehabilitation programme.

Health Literacy for Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Examination of Associated Illness Perceptions, Self-Efficacy, Motivation and Physical Activity.

Following a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease there is a need for patients to self-manage. Health literacy has been shown to be lower in patients with cardiovascular disease, yet research into health literacy in this population is limited. This study used the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) to examine the health literacy and associated health, health behaviours and psychological profiles of cardiac rehabilitation patients from a remote and rural regional programme in the Scottish Highlands. Consecutive patients referred to the service in a calendar year were sent a cross-sectional questionnaire by post. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped respondents based on their health literacy profile, and nonparametric methods were used to analyse differences between clusters on the other measures. A total of 282 participants responded (45.7%). Respondents were older (median: 71 years) and more likely to be from more affluent areas. Five health literacy clusters emerged with different profiles of health, physical activity, self-efficacy, motivation and illness perceptions. There was no difference in relation to cardiac rehabilitation attendance by health literacy cluster, but those with lower health literacy were less likely to be aware of the referral. Patterns of health literacy are associated with health, health behaviours and some psychological constructs. Knowledge of distinct cluster characteristics may help services better target interventions.