IUHPE Global Working Group on Health Literacy
Background
Health literacy has been established and recognized as a social determinant of health; addressing health literacy is a mechanism for reducing health and social inequities. The 19th and 20th IUHPE World Conferences for Health Education and Promotion have increasingly included health literacy as a topic addressed in the scientific program. During these conferences, organizational meetings were also were held for participants to work together on the topic of health literacy. During the 20th World Conference in Geneva, a Resolution was presented to the General Assembly, proposing that IUHPE address health literacy as a focus point in the strategic priorities and long term vision. A specific recommendation was included to establish a Global Working Group on Health Literacy (GWG-HL).
This proposed work plan reflects the stages necessary for establishing sustained activity of the IUHPE in the area of health literacy, focusing on 2012-2013.
Terms of Reference
Mission
To initiate and support action, policy and research on health literacy, acknowledging the contribution of health literacy to reducing disparities in the promotion of health and wellbeing, and sustainable development, and to the pursuit of equity within and between countries, in the global context
Aims
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To facilitate the development of, and communicate, health literacy theory, policy and practice at global, international, national and local levels;
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To enable shared learning between programmes, networks and with relevant professions and sectors, at international and national levels;
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To ensure that health literacy, as a social determinant of health, is included in global and regional discussions on health promotion systems, reducing health disparities, promoting sustainable development and NCDs;
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To strengthen the knowledge and evidence bases for measuring and assessing health literacy and applying knowledge within the context of health promotion by promoting evaluation, learning and development;
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To identify relevant stakeholders that can be engaged for collaborative action, research and policy, build synergies and lead where appropriate , working in partnership with other networks and organizations for promoting the issue of health literacy;
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To work collaboratively with other GWGs in order to promote integrated and cross-cutting support and action;
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To develop and implement an action plan for 2012-2013, reflecting all of the above.
Context and prerequisite for GWG status within the IUHPE
GWG-HL will fulfill the prerequisites established by the VP on Scientific Affairs, supported by the BoT: Health Literacy is relevant to achieving the new strategic priorities for IUHPE:
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Social Determinants of health
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Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control
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Health Promotion Systems
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Health Promotion in Sustainable Development
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Ongoing operation of the IUHPE (internal)
In addition, it is assumed that active involvement of the IUHPE in health literacy will attract new members that are already involved in health literacy, yet to date have not professionally identified with health promotion.
Membership (not final - interest is still being expressed):
Diane Levin-Zamir (coordinator), Juergen Peliken (Austria), Don Nutbeam (UK), Irv Rootman (Canada), Linda Shohat (Canada) , Deborah Begoray (Canada), Jane Wills (UK) , Albert Lee (Hong Kong), Richard Osborne (Australia), Kristine Sorensen (The Netherlands), Orli Frenkel (Israel), Angela YM Leung, (Hong Kong), Gillan Rowlands (UK), Jo +Jo Protheroe (UK) + representative from Latin American Region
Defining and characterizing membership
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As a GWG, it is intended that the group's activity reflect the global nature of the IUHPE. As such, the group will strive to have representation from all regions of IUHPE.
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Membership in the GWG-HL can include members from IUHPE and non-member experts in HL.
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Non-IUHPE members of the GWG are potential members of the IUHPE; in time it is hoped that an increasing proportion of GWG-HL members become active members of IUHPE.
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In order to facilitate management of group progress, a core-group/steering committee within the larger GWG will be established with representation from all IUHPE regions.
Expectations from members
In general, the group members will be expected to contribute to defining the IUHPE global strategy and priorities on health literacy. Towards this end, more specifically they will be asked to:
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participate in electronic or conference call meetings on a regular basis;
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stimulate collaborative ideas and action among various regions and sub-networks;
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bring regional/sub-network input into the global discussions to ensure that all interests and specificities are taken into account.
Working methods
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Emails and Skype consultations will be the main means of communication between members.
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The GWG-HL will organize global teleconferences twice a year, ahead of the meetings of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, in which all members of the GWG-HL will be invited to participate
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As needed and indicated, smaller teleconferences will take place according to region, topic or organizational needs
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Face-to-face meetings will be planned and conducted in collaboration with regional health literacy networks specifically focusing on health literacy or in association with relevant programme areas (e.g. NCD prevention, health promoting schools and hospitals).
Accountability
As with all GWGs in the IUHPE, GWG-HL shall be accountable via the VP(Scientific Affairs), with regular reporting to Executive Committee and Board of Trustees
Communication
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The members of GWG-HL will maintain communication through e-mail, and via periodically scheduled teleconferences supported by the IUHPE secretariat at the HQ.
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The GWG-HL will network with other GWGs and relevant IUHPE projects of the IUHPE on common areas of action and interest via ongoing discussion facilitated by HQ secretariat and VP (SA)
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The GWG-HL will communicate its activity maximizing the use of existing communication avenues such the IUHPE website and VHPO, publishing reports in Global Health Promotion Journal and in IUHPE regional and world conferences.
Resources + IUHPE Headquarters Support
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In principle, identifying and developing resources for achieving the GWG-HL objectives will be included in the work programme.
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In general, the resources for the implementation of the work programme will consist of a combination of :
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in-kind support from the organizations, institutions etc., that the GWG-HL members are associated with;
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specific grants that will applied for either directly by the IUHPE, or by other institutions/organizations in collaboration with IUHPE
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other sources that will be identified for specific components of the work programme
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The secretariat of the IUHPE HQ will be asked to:
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provide support for facilitating communication (teleconferences, information distribution etc.)
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inform the working group of opportunities that are encountered for networking and implementing the work programme.
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