Executive summary
New Zealand has one of the highest rates for childhood skin infections in the western world, with Māori children more than one-and-a-half times more likely than non-Māori to be hospitalised due to skin infections (Craig et al 2007). In many cases hospitalisation means intravenous antibiotics and even surgery.
Health literacy involves health organisations, health practitioners, and patients and their families. It is described as ‘the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions’ (Institute of Medicine 2004, p 2; Ministry of Health 2010). For health practitioners, health literacy is about their ability to communicate health information, and for health organisations it is about the appropriateness of the health information and services they provide for patients and their families. There is a strong relationship between a person’s health literacy and their health status (Ministry of Health 2012).
Workbase was contracted by the Ministry of Health to undertake research in health literacy, with a focus on the prevention and management of skin infections for Māori. A clinical Reference Group comprised of three senior child and Māori health experts supported the project team. The aim of the project was to identify and assess the effectiveness of health literacy interventions for strengthening the prevention and management of skin infections in Māori children less than 15 years of age. The objectives of the research were to:
1. identify health literacy barriers and facilitators in the prevention and management of skin infections
2. highlight interventions that may be effective in strengthening health literacy to allow the better prevention and management of skin infections
3. demonstrate ways to increase health literacy in order to improve outcomes associated with skin infections.
Method
The research was undertaken in four phases.
1. Literature reviews for skin infections and health literacy were completed. A resource stocktake of skin health resources available in New Zealand was undertaken through an online search and the gathering of hard copy resources the health practitioners and providers interviewed in the project identified as most commonly used.
2. Consultation was undertaken with parents, caregivers and health practitioners. Focus groups were held with 23 parents and caregivers from two school communities. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 22 health practitioners, and an online survey of health practitioners and providers returned 87 responses. Four teachers were also interviewed.