6.H. Scientific session: Transforming European public health and health care systems through organizational health literacy

Abstract Background This workshop will present new evidence on how public health organizations can leverage organizational health literacy (OHL) to promote, maintain, and restore health at individual and population levels. OHL is an equity-oriented, systems-level framework that addresses health inequalities by improving service delivery, access, and public health education. While aiming at reducing inequalities in health, OHL considers social determinants of health, environmental complexities, public health infrastructure, and professional interactions with diverse populations in their organizations (e.g., patients, citizens, children). The OHL framework is particularly valuable during public health emergencies, crises, pandemics, and disasters, where systematic planning, strategic action, and resilience are essential. From a public health economics perspective, OHL implementation can reduce healthcare and public health costs across Europe and throughout the life course by optimizing organizational structures and processes. Objectives The WHO Collaborating Center for Health Literacy (Munich, Germany) and WHO Euro health literacy network members have conducted several studies on OHL frameworks, tools, and policy and practice interventions in different settings. OHL frameworks include measurable standards such as organizational leadership, development, quality management, workforce competencies, user-centeredness, and responsiveness. Reflecting on these issues, this session will feature five international speakers presenting empirical findings from studies across Europe: (1) The first presentation will introduce evaluation results of the effectiveness of a new OHL tool in Swiss primary care organizations; (2) The second presentation will highlight first-time OHL implementation results in Belgian hospitals; (3) The third presentation will describe a novel OHL framework for diabetes and chronic care in Denmark; (4) The fourth presentation will address key findings from a five-state survey on OHL in German schools; (5) The fifth speaker will focus on OHL in Bavarian preschools and its impact on early childhood health development. As a cross-collaboration between several EUPHA Sections and their members, the session chairs will facilitate and moderate the presentations and guide the panel discussion based on their Section background. While the format of this workshop will be 5x8-minute presentations, the presentations will be followed by a 20-minute panel discussion of the speakers with the audience, exploring the relevance of these findings for public health research, practice and policy. At the same time, the presentations will be supported by the online tool Slido, augmenting and enhancing speaker-audience interaction. This method will facilitate audience engagement and ensure knowledge transfer. Key messages • As a systems-level approach, enhancing organizational health literacy improves organizational processes, improves patient and user outcomes, supports workforce development, and lowers health costs. • As a community-level approach, organizational health literacy addresses health determinants, promotes health literacy for all, reduces inequities, and should be implemented early in schools.