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Background: Health literacy is an important determinant of health, but national health literacy levels are known for only some European countries. This study aims to examine to what extent national health literacy levels can be estimated based on publicly available census data. Method: Multivariate models were used to predict two types of health literacy on population level. Predictors were selected based on literature, the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU) and the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL). The HLS-EU provides insight into self-assessed health literacy and the ALL into the performance of individuals on health literacy tasks (performance-based health literacy). Dutch HLS-EU and ALL data were used to construct prediction models based on 2/3 of this data, which were validated in the remaining 1/3 of the data and (in case of self-assessed health literacy) in data from seven other European countries. Results: Education is a significant predictor of perceived and performance-based health literacy. Age and working status are significant predictors of performance-based health literacy, whereas gender and income are significant predictors of self-assessed health literacy. Both typologies of health literacy can satisfactorily be predicted within samples of the Dutch population. The accuracy of estimated self-assessed health literacy varied between the seven other European countries. Conclusion: Prediction models based on publicly available census data can be used for estimating self-assessed and performance-based health literacy on population level. Observed health literacy levels or better prediction models are required when one is interested in ranking European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Reorienting health services towards health promotion is one of the major health promotion strategies stipulated by the Ottawa Charter). Important contradictions, tensions and barriers to health promotion implementation associated with organisational structures have, thus far, been underexposed in the hospital health promotion discourse. This paper aims at identifying risks and the chances for hospital management to strategically and sustainably reorient their hospitals towards health promotion. Design/methodology/approach – The paper combines theories and findings from organisational science and management studies as well as from capacity development in the form of a narrative literature review. The aim is to focus on the conditions hospitals, as organisational systems with a highly professionalised workforce, provide for a strategically managed reorientation towards health promotion. Models and principles helping managers to navigate the difficulties and complexities of health promotion reorientation will be suggested. Findings – Hospital managers have to deal with genuine obstacles in the complexity and structural formation of hospital organisations. Against this background, continuous management support, a transformative leadership style, participative strategic management and expert governance can be considered important organisational capacities for the reorientation towards a new concept such as health promotion. Practical implications – This paper discusses managerial strategies, effective structural transformations and important organisational capacities that can contribute to a sustainable reorientation of hospitals towards health promotion. It supports hospital managers in exploring their chances of facilitating and effectively supporting a sustainable health promotion reorientation of their hospitals. Originality/value – The paper provides an innovative approach where the focus is on enhanced possibilities for hospital managers to strategically manage the reorientation towards health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]