The "EVPOP Workshops" are used to foster knowledge exchange, helping M-PHL member countries to enhance their understanding and application of health literacy policies in various settings.
Workshop on health literacy in a digital world
The third EVPOP workshop was held on February 20th 2025 and focused on digital health literacy. The available data on digital health literacy of the population show that there is a strong call for action as the increase of digital technologies challenges the health literacy skills of people. To achieve sustainable improvements, actions from individuals, health organizations and systems are required. In this webinar Diane Levin-Zamir, M-POHL research chair, introduced the topic in her presentation. Reflections on digital health literacy were provided by Ryan dos Santos, WHO Regional office for Europe & Robert Griebler, scientific coordinator of the M-POHL project, followed by a presentation of A European Strategy for Digital Health Literacy (IDEAHL) by Marta Pisano González (Regional Ministry of Health of the Principality of Asturias), Inés Rey Hidalgo (Foundation for the Promotion in Asturias of Applied Scientific Research and Technology) and Cristina Fernández García (Health Service of the Principality of Asturias). In addition, national experiences on addressing digital health literacy were shared by Anja Laschkolnig (Austrian Public Health Institute) and Ingrid Schmidt (National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden).
Workshop on Health Literacy and Behavioural and Cultural Insights
The recording of the EVPOP workshop “Health Literacy and Behavioural and Cultural Insights: what is the relationship between these two approaches” is now available HERE.
At the workshop, which was held on 23rd May 2024, a new WHO concept note on Behavioural and Cultural Insights (BCI) and health literacy was presented by Katrine Bach Habersaat, Regional Advisor for BCI, WHO Regional office for Europe. Reflections on BCI and health literacy with focus on M-POHL were provided by Diane Levin-Zamir, M-POHL research chair and Chair of the Technical Advisory Group for BCI Unit – WHO-Europe & Robert Griebler, scientific coordinator of the M-POHL project.
In addition, national experiences on the issue of health literacy and BCI were shared by Miguel Telo de Arriaga, Head of the Division of Literacy, Health and Well-being, Directorate-General of Health, Portugal & Robert Murphy, Senior Economics Research Officer, Department of Health, Ireland.
Integrating and strengthening health literacy at policy level – models and tools for implementation
The workshop was held on 10th October 2024 and focused on the implementation of Health Literacy policies in several countries. It was opened by a presentation of the recent evaluation of the EVPOP policy guides' checklist, done by Christina Dietscher (M-POHL policy co-chair). The presentation can be downloaded here.
The following presentations focused on the experiences of different countries' implementation of Health Literacy efforts. Helen Ryan, the Health Lead of the Adult Literacy for Life Programme Office gave insight into Irelands efforts of "Making Health Literacy everyone’s business". Petr Struk, Head of the Board of the Czech Institute for Health Literacy presented "2014 - 2024: 10 years of health literacy as part of health policy in the Czech Republic" and gave insight into how Czechia implemented health literacy in their national health policy.