Aarhus University invests millions to boost health literacy
Many people struggle to navigate the healthcare system and therefore miss out on the preventative care or treatment they need. Now, the Faculty of Health Sciences at Aarhus University is investing DKK 13 million in a new research center that aims to change this by generating new knowledge about health literacy and health equity.
A new research center will soon be established at the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. The purpose of the center is to increase our knowledge of the population’s health literacy, which is a measure of how easy it is for citizens to understand e.g. vaccination letters, seek medical advice, use digital self-service platforms and critically explore personal prevention and treatment options etc.
“Our ambition is clear. As a faculty, we want to help boost the ability of citizens to navigate the healthcare system of the future. And we will do this by focusing on the importance of having a healthcare system that takes account of citizens’ health challenges and resources rather than, for example, the number of diseases they may have.”
This is how Dean Anne-Mette Hvas from Health describes the new Research Center for Health Literacy & Equity (REACH), which will be headed by Professor Helle Terkildsen Maindal.
In line with healthcare reform
According to Helle Terkildsen Maindal, the new center will strengthen research in health literacy and also contribute to concrete changes in the healthcare system and civil society.
“The most vulnerable groups in society are often the ones who are having the greatest difficulties navigating a complex health system and obtaining the preventative care and treatment they need. In order to overcome current disparities in health, we need knowledge about the behaviour and capabilities of both individuals and organisations, and this is the knowledge that REACH intends to provide,” says Helle Terkildsen Maindal.
She also stresses that health is not only the responsibility of the health services:
“It’s to do with good living conditions and well-being throughout life – something we all have the right to, regardless of our social resources, mental resilience and physical functioning.”
Close collaboration between research and practice is crucial
The new research center is committed to disseminating its research to both peers and the general public.
“Sharing the knowledge generated through the center’s research will be a key aspect of our work, and we will be communicating our findings to healthcare professionals, fellow researchers, students and, of course, the general public,” says Helle Terkildsen Maindal.
If the healthcare system is to make a real difference for the entire population, Professor Maindal believes it is essential to uset citizens’ resources and support them to navigate through information and options. The new research center will therefore be working closely with practitioners.
“I’m really proud to be working at a university and a faculty that are giving us the chance to strengthen our research both nationally and internationally. We’re going to create research results that can very quickly be translated into practice through collaboration with the Danish municipalities, hospitals and civil society organisations.”
Read more about REACH on the center’s new website (in Danish only).
Contact
Dean Anne-Mette Hvas
Aarhus Universitet, Health
Telephone: +45 87 15 20 07
Email: [email protected]
Professor and Center Director Helle Terkildsen Maindal
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health
Telephone: +45 25 46 23 20
Email: [email protected]