OHL-ALL: a theory-informed and practice-orientated organizational health literacy equity approach

Abstract Background The OHL-ALL initiative was launched by Steno Diabetes Center Sjaelland and the Department of Public Health, Aarhus University and the OHL-ALL scientific group in cooperation with EUPHA-HL and M-POHL in November 2023. The OHL-ALL (Organizational Health Literacy for All) approach offers an opportunity to rethink and develop organizational health literacy (OHL) with an explicit normative basis for equity. The goal is to establish a theory-informed, practice-oriented, multifaceted, and implementable approach. In the OHL-ALL approach, we define equity as the normative anchor, and we suggest using the Capabilities Approach to embed improved equity in design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions. Methods The process of developing the OHL-ALL was guided by applying core ideas from Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach. Five intervention principles were derived from the existing organizational health literacy literature: organizational change, workforce responsiveness, user involvement and person-centered care, access and navigation and internal and external partnerships. After an international expert working group meeting in November 2023, we formed four work packages. Results At the EPH conference, a status of the progress in the four work packages will be presented: WP1. OHL-ALL Framework development based on capability, fairness, and equity. WP2. Initiatives and testing of the OHL-ALL framework. WP3. Evaluation of OHL-ALL (i) the capability approach and (ii) outcome domains. WP4. Plans for the future, including advocacy and outreach - ideally via a conference in 2026. Conclusions The OHL-ALL project presents a novel approach to advancing equity in health by improving users’ capabilities. Based on an explicit normative framework it is expected to offer theoretical and practical guidance for organizations that chose to implement a health literacy approach.