Health Literacy in South Dublin

Description

Healthy South Dublin, in partnership with the HSE, DDLETB, and Fettercairn and Rowlagh Health Projects, launched a Health Literacy Pilot Programme targeting active retired groups across South Dublin County. The programme was delivered at community centres in Fettercairn, Rowlagh, and Kingswood, benefiting 46 older adults who participated in three, six-week sessions designed to improve health literacy and empower them to manage their own health and wellbeing.
Health literacy, as defined by the World Health Organisation, involves the ability to access, understand, and use health information to promote and maintain good health. However, health literacy statistics in Ireland reveal concerning trends: 28% of adults experience limited health literacy, which often leads to increased healthcare usage and poor health outcomes. Furthermore, patients with better health literacy tend to have more effective consultations, improved health outcomes, and are better informed about their treatment and medications.
The pilot programme aimed to address this issue by improving the health literacy of older adults in South Dublin, ensuring they felt confident in managing their health and advocating for their own care. The first four weeks of the programme were delivered by an adult literacy tutor, while the content was designed by the HSE’s Self-management Support Coordinator and Patient and Service User Engagement Officer. These sessions provided the participants with crucial knowledge about managing their health, including understanding medical instructions, making informed decisions, and preparing for healthcare consultations.
In the final two weeks, guest speakers, such as the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Coordinator and a local community pharmacist, shared their expertise, providing valuable insights and answering questions. These guest sessions helped participants gain a deeper understanding of health-related services available to them in their locality.
Following completion, participants expressed their satisfaction with the programme. One participant remarked, “The facilitator took her time and explained everything to us in a way that we could understand,” while another noted, “It’s great coming out to meet people… learning new things.” Many participants reported gaining confidence in their healthcare interactions, including preparing questions for doctor appointments and feeling more comfortable asking for clarification during consultations. One participant shared, “This course helped me at a recent appointment because I wasn’t afraid to ask the doctor to explain things in a different way.”
The programme’s success lies in its ability to empower older adults, enhance their health literacy, and contribute to healthier, more informed communities. As demonstrated by the feedback, the pilot fostered a sense of confidence and capability in participants, improving their overall health and wellbeing.
Through this initiative, Healthy South Dublin and its partners have made a meaningful impact in promoting active and healthy ageing by equipping older adults with the skills and knowledge to better navigate the healthcare system.

Aim of Initiative

The aim of this initiative is to improve health literacy among older adults and those living with chronic conditions, to help them better understand and manage their own health and wellbeing. The programme empowers participants to confidently interpret prescription instructions, follow healthcare professionals’ advice, understand consent forms, and navigate the healthcare system more effectively.
Health literacy is a significant public health issue across Europe, with approximately one in three adults struggling to understand essential health-related information. In Ireland, low health literacy contributes to poorer health outcomes and increased pressure on health services. This initiative addresses these challenges by providing older adults with the skills and knowledge needed to become active participants in their healthcare.
Evidence shows that individuals with higher health literacy are more likely to engage in meaningful consultations with their healthcare providers, adhere to treatment plans, and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. By enhancing these skills, the programme aims to support healthier ageing, reduce health inequalities, and build more resilient communities.

Who is it aimed at

The initiative is aimed at older adults in South Dublin County, specifically members of active retired groups. It targets individuals who may have limited health literacy and seeks to empower them with the knowledge and confidence to manage their health, engage effectively with healthcare providers, and make informed decisions about their wellbeing therefore promoting healthy ageing.

3 Steps critical to success

1. 1. Stakeholder Collaboration and Programme Design

   A key factor in the programme’s success was the strong collaboration between Healthy South Dublin, the HSE, DDLETB, and local health projects in Fettercairn and Rowlagh.

   This collaborative approach allowed for:
   Specialist input from the HSE’s Self-Management Support Coordinator and Patient and Service User Engagement Officer to ensure the content was accurate, relevant, and aligned with national health literacy standards.
   Adult education expertise from DDLETB literacy tutors to ensure content was accessible and understandable to older adults.
   Local insight and trust fostered by community-based partners, Fettercairn and Rowlagh Health Projects, which encouraged engagement and participation from older adults.

   This collaborative approach ensured the programme was locally responsive, evidence-based, and appropriate for the needs and learning styles of older adults.

2. 2. Accessible, Participant-Centred Delivery

   The programme’s structure, a series of three six-week sessions delivered in local community centres removed barriers to access and encouraged sustained participation.

   Critical aspects of the programme included:
   • Use of clear, plain language and interactive learning techniques by adult literacy tutors to build participant confidence.
   • Delivering in familiar environments in Fettercairn, Rowlagh, and Kingswood, which helped foster a sense of community.
   • Progressive learning that built on participants’ existing knowledge and allowed time for questions, repetition, and discussion.

   This delivery method supported active participation, peer learning, and confidence-building, which are essential for improving health literacy among older adults.

3. 3. Empowerment Through Practical Tools and Real-Life Application

   The inclusion of guest speakers and a focus on real-world application in the final two weeks significantly contributed to participants’ empowerment.

   This was achieved through connecting participants with relevant local health and social services, such as the Healthy Age Friendly Homes initiative and local pharmacies.

   Offering and teaching practical tools, such as how to prepare for a doctor’s appointment or ask for clarification, which were immediately applicable and impactful.

   The programme encouraged self-advocacy, with participants reporting increased confidence in their ability to engage with healthcare providers.

   This practical, applied learning approach ensured the programme translated into tangible improvements in participants’ health behaviours and interactions.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Varied literacy levels among participants

   While the programme was designed for older adults, there was a wide range of literacy and health literacy skills among participants.

   This presented challenges such as:
   • Adapting materials to suit all learning needs without oversimplifying or overwhelming.
   • Ensuring that all participants felt included and able to engage, regardless of their starting point.
   • Balancing group discussions so that everyone could participate.

2. Limited duration to cover complex topics

   The programme ran in six-week blocks, which provided only a short timeframe to cover essential and often complex health topics.
   As a result:
   • Facilitators had to prioritise key content, sometimes leaving out topics of interest or relevance to certain participants.
   • There was limited time for reinforcement or follow-up, especially for those who needed more support or repetition.
   • Some participants expressed interest in longer or ongoing sessions to continue building their skills- ‘Would have like the sessions to have been 2 hours long instead of 1’

3. Barriers to participation and attendance

   Despite being held in local community centres, there were still challenges in recruiting and retaining participants throughout the programme. Committing to a course for six weeks was a big ask for some people particularly those with health issues and/or caregiving responsibilities. Some older adults were hesitant and expressed feeling anxious about returning to a learning environment.

   There is a need for ongoing outreach and encouragement from local partners to build trust and maintain engagement.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Improved Health Literacy and Confidence in Managing Health

   Participants developed a clearer understanding of health information, medical instructions, and how to navigate the healthcare system. Feedback was gathered as part of the programme evaluation and below are key learnings reported by participants.

   • Better preparation for healthcare appointments, such as writing down questions in advance.
   • Increased willingness to ask questions and seek clarification during consultations.
   • A greater ability to make informed decisions about their health.

   On completion of the programme, one participant shared: “This course helped me at a recent appointment because I wasn’t afraid to ask the doctor to explain things in a different way.”

2. Strengthened Social and Community Engagement

   The programme fostered a supportive group learning environment, helping reduce social isolation and encourage peer support. Participants highlighted the value of:
   • Engaging with others in a similar stage of life, building a sense of community.
   • Learning in a group setting, which made the experience more enjoyable and less intimidating.

   As one participant noted: “It’s great coming out to meet people… learning new things.”

3. Empowered Older Adults to Advocate for Their Own Health

   The programme gave participants the tools and confidence to take a more active role in their health care. This empowerment led to greater self-advocacy in health settings, a sense of personal agency and control over health decisions and a stronger foundation for ongoing self-management and wellbeing.

   This aligns with the programme’s goal to promote active and healthy ageing through increased health literacy and autonomy.