Investigating Health Literacy in Action
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating health literacy in action: A mixed methods study in cardiac rehabilitation patients and staff.
IRAS ID
291733
Contact name
Stephen.J Leslie
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Highlands
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Health literacy has been shown to be an important factor in effective self-management of chronic health conditions and the prevention (and secondary prevention) of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
Cardiac rehabilitation is designed to help with secondary prevention and recovery following a cardiac event through supporting behaviour change. A previous study (IRAS 260464) has identified that NHS Highland's cardiac rehabilitation patients include those with significant health literacy challenges. In order to design effective interventions in the future, it is necessary to address these barriers. In addition, the current pandemic has resulted in the rapid implementation of diverse forms of service delivery including telephone, website and app-based methods. As a remote and rural service, some of these methods may have utility even post-pandemic. It is therefore important we examine patient experiences and health literacy across these diverse delivery methods.This study will engage in mixed methods research with staff and patients to explore these earlier findings, the experiences of different methods of cardiac rehab delivery, generate intervention ideas and priorities and put in place a service improvement process to embed locally specific health literacy principles into cardiac rehabilitation service provision.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/EE/0281
Date of REC Opinion
9 Dec 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion