Helping young people build health literacy is a powerful lever for improving both their understanding of individual and collective health challenges and their adoption of healthier behaviours. The result: better treatment adherence and stronger preventive practices. Here are some examples of behavioural science initiatives that are helping to drive change.
Health literacy is a term that appears everywhere in both scientific and social research. It refers to a simple idea: the more people know about a subject, the better they understand how it works and the more effectively they can adapt their behaviour. Applied to young people and health, health literacy encompasses the ability to access information, understand it and use it to make informed decisions. This applies equally to reading a medication leaflet, interpreting test results or critically assessing information found online.
“In a world saturated with information, injunctions and technologies, understanding one’s own health has become a foundational act, almost a political one, particularly for young adults. Strengthening health literacy is therefore no longer simply a matter of education; it requires a systemic transformation that empowers individuals and improves the effectiveness of public health policies,” explains Serge Guérin, sociologist and lecturer at INSEEC Grande École.
A head start for better health
The benefits of stronger health literacy are wide-ranging, as demonstrated by numerous initiatives grounded in behavioural sciences. One example is Ahead of the Game, an international programme developed by the Movember Foundation to help prevent depression and suicide among young men. The programme combines mental health education with activities delivered through football clubs. “Players and coaches train together, compete together and debrief together. This naturally creates opportunities to support one another on and off the field. In a broader societal context, this spirit of solidarity encourages collective reflection on the importance of looking after one another, including when it comes to mental health issues, which often remain unspoken among young men,” explains Paul Williams, the programme’s European Lead. Psychiatry, allergy care, oncology and many other fields have served as testing grounds for similar initiatives, all demonstrating positive impacts on their target populations, as highlighted by the projects featured in the APRIL Foundation’s third Expert Report, dedicated to real-world examples from around the world.
Towards greater equality through knowledge?
There is, however, a significant challenge. Despite clear evidence of effectiveness, many public and private initiatives struggle to achieve widespread reach and have yet to reverse current trends. The latest edition of the European Health Literacy Survey revealed that 44.1% of people in France have problematic or inadequate health literacy. Poor health literacy is also associated with lower socioeconomic status, financial hardship and chronic health conditions. More subtly, knowledge acts as an invisible filter. When it is limited, it can lead to silence, passivity and failure to seek care. When it is strong, it encourages engagement, responsibility and participation in care decisions. This reality extends far beyond France. It has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify health literacy as “a major social determinant”, directly influencing prevention, the management of chronic diseases, treatment adherence and access to healthcare.
Shared responsibility for health literacy
Families, educational settings and healthcare professionals are at the forefront of efforts to tackle health misinformation and lack of knowledge. General practitioners and pharmacists, in particular, play a key role in listening, informing and supporting young people and their families. One example of a successful initiative is the German educational app Nebolus. Using geolocation technology, it invites adolescents to take part in local “health rallies”, during which they meet healthcare professionals, discover available services and learn how to navigate the healthcare system. Although participants have responded positively, replicating the initiative elsewhere requires healthcare professionals who are willing to take part. Securing that engagement can be challenging, even though patient empowerment is widely recognised as a cornerstone of mature and effective healthcare systems.
Public and behavioural responses
Public authorities also play an essential role in democratising access to high-quality information tailored to people’s real needs. “The measurement of health literacy within the French population has provided both a wake-up call and a foundation for current and future initiatives,” explains Dr Caroline Semaille, Director General of Santé publique France. “It contributes to a better understanding of different levels of comprehension when designing health prevention and promotion initiatives, with the objective of reducing social inequalities.”
Beyond statements of intent, concrete actions have followed. Campaigns such as “Parlons santé mentale” (“Let’s Talk About Mental Health”), the television campaign À chaque vaccination, c’est la vie qui reprend” (“Every Vaccination Helps Life Return to Normal”), and the publication “Communiquer pour tous” (“Communicating for Everyone”) all illustrate ongoing efforts to strengthen public understanding of health. Drawing on behavioural science principles, these initiatives represent powerful tools for improving health literacy among young people, and among the wider population as well.