Defining Environmental Health Literacy

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health Sciences
• Public Health
• Health Literacy Studies

Background:

• Environmental Health Literacy (EHL) is recognized as vital for preventing environmental health problems.
• A comprehensive understanding of the specific knowledge and skills constituting EHL among professionals has been lacking.
• This study addresses the need to define and prioritize EHL components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and rank essential knowledge and skill items associated with Environmental Health Literacy (EHL).
• To establish a consensus among Environmental Health (EH) professionals regarding EHL competencies.
• To provide a foundation for developing EHL assessment tools and educational strategies.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining semi-structured interviews with quantitative surveys.
• 24 Environmental Health professionals were interviewed to identify initial EHL knowledge and skill items.
• A subsequent survey of 275 EH professionals across the U.S. was conducted to assess the importance of these items.

Main Results:

• Interviews yielded 37 skill and 69 knowledge items relevant to EHL.
• Survey results indicated consensus among >50% of respondents on 32 knowledge and six skill items as essential.
• Six specific knowledge items were identified as essential by >70% of EH professionals.

Conclusions:

• Key knowledge and skill domains for Environmental Health Literacy have been identified through expert consensus.
• These findings provide a critical basis for developing targeted educational materials and evaluation measures for EHL.
• Further research should involve broader stakeholder input and validation of EHL assessment tools.