People with low Health Literacy (HL) levels are unwilling to follow medical instructions, be involved in preventive strategies, and make use of the healthcare services.According to WHO, strengthening the HL skills of the general population is a multifaceted process involving the user, the healthcare professionals, the stakeholders, and the environment. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing the HL skills of older people became a priority for policy makers and researchers, who pointed out the need to support them to deal with this emergency. It is equally essential to enhance the HL skills of the healthcare professionals.The knowledge and understanding of the importance of HL among healthcare professionals may improve their communication with older people and their families.

This study aims to develop and adapt in Greek a Health Literacy toolkit for healthcare professionals working with older people in order to enable them to identify low HL users and assist healthcare professionals improve their communication skills with them. The study uses a mixed-method design with four phases following the Cultural Adaptation Process Model. In the two first phases a scoping review reporting the knowledge and availableHL trainings for the healthcare professionals and two focus groups, with professionals and older people, were conducted to identify their needs. The next steps will be the translation and adaptation in Greek of the toolkit developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the piloting of the tool to healthcare professionals working with older people in the community. The completion of this project will result in a culturally adapted toolkit, which will provide the healthcare professionals with the tools to raise awareness on HL andidentify and train older people with low HL. In this way, a better use of healthcare services and better treatment adherence will be succeeded with long term effects in providing high-quality healthcare and improving patient outcomes.  

In this presentation (a) the findings of the scoping review in relation to the available HL trainings for the healthcare professionals and (b) the reportedly training needs as came out from the focus groups will be presented.