Exploring national health literacy policy journeys

Abstract Background The WHO Action Network on Measuring Population and Organizational Health Literacy (M-POHL) aims to enhance health literacy (HL) in the WHO European Region by providing high-quality data on population and organizational health literacy and developing evidence-based recommendations to support political decisions. Methods M-POHL's project on Evidence-based Policy and Practice (EVPOP) developed a policy guide structured around the Public Health Action Cycle. Accompanying this guide is a checklist designed to aid in assessing each step. This checklist was utilized in an exploratory web-based survey conducted among M-POHL member countries from February 27 to July 15, 2024. Sixteen countries took part in the survey, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive methods. Results Most of the participating countries have collected data on population HL at least once. Currently, situation analysis primarily targets personal HL, while the lack of data on organizational HL is an emerging topic. Although agenda-setting activities for HL exist in most countries, few undertake these activities at a strategic level, with a predominant focus on various stakeholders in the healthcare sector. Most countries have policies that address HL to some extent, yet stand-alone HL policies are rare. Typically, HL is incorporated into national strategies or action plans. The majority of implementation activities occur within healthcare organizations, with limited action in other sectors like education or media. Efforts to evaluate and monitor HL activities and outcomes are still in their early stages. Conclusions The EVPOP survey demonstrates that the majority of participating countries are well aware of the relevance of HL policies. The results indicate that support for policy makers and administrators is needed. Key messages • HL policy action needs concrete tools to draw on. • M-POHL’s EVPOP project will continue to provide support.