Health establishes new center for health literacy and equity
Many people struggle to navigate the healthcare system and therefore miss out on the preventative care or treatment they need. In an attempt to amend this situation, the Faculty of Health is investing approximately 13 million kroner in a new research center to be based at the Department of Public Health, and which will generate knowledge about health literacy and equity.
“Our ambition is clear. As a faculty, we want to help boost health literacy, that is the ability of citizens to navigate the healthcare system of the future. And we will do this by focusing on the importance of having a healthcare system that takes account of citizens’ health challenges and resources rather than, for example, the number of diseases they may have.”
These are the words of Dean Anne-Mette Hvas about the decision to establish the new Research Center for Health Literacy & Equity (REACH), which will be part of the Department of Public Health and headed by Professor Helle Terkildsen Maindal.
The funding for the new center comes from the university’s research reserve 2025. A unanimous faculty leadership team is behind the decision, which was approved by both the senior management team and the board just before the summer holidays.
“The process was short and intensive, and we don’t yet know if the extra funding will only be released this one time. Still, we have no doubt that the work that Helle and her colleagues have already come along way with is perfectly aligned with key elements of the government’s healthcare reform 2024 as well as our strategic priorities at Health,” says Anne-Mette Hvas.
In line with healthcare reform
According to Helle Terkildsen Maindal, the new center will strengthen research in health literacy and also contribute to concrete changes in the healthcare system and civil society.
“Due to health literacy challenges, the most vulnerable groups in society are often the ones who are having the greatest difficulties navigating a complex health system and obtaining the preventative care and treatment they need. In order to overcome current disparities in health, we need knowledge about the behaviour and capabilities of both individuals and organisations, and this is the knowledge that REACH intends to provide,” says Helle Terkildsen Maindal.
She also stresses that health is not only the responsibility of the health services:
“It’s to do with good living conditions and well-being throughout life – something we all have the right to, regardless of our social resources, mental resilience and physical functioning.”
Close collaboration between research and practice is crucial
Helle Terkildsen Maindal highlights four key tasks for the center initially:
- developing the organisation and structure of the center with a focus on involving relevant partners and stakeholders
- preparing and implementing a research strategy
- preparing a knowledge dissemination plan with a focus on both scientific knowledge dissemination and knowledge dissemination to practitioners and the wider population, as well as participation in pre- and postgraduate teaching, and
- preparing a long-term financing plan and goals beyond the three years financed by the grant from the Faculty of Health.
“I’m extremely proud of the grant, which is allowing us to continue and strengthen our research both nationally and internationally. We’re going to create research results that can very quickly be translated into practice through collaboration with the Danish municipalities, hospitals and civil society organisations,” concludes Helle Terkildsen Maindal.
Read more about REACH on the center’s new website (in Danish only).
Contact
Dean Anne-Mette Hvas
Aarhus Universitet, Health
Telephone: +45 87 15 20 07
Email: dean.health@au.dk
Professor and Center Director Helle Terkildsen Maindal
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health
Telephone: +45 25 46 23 20
Email: htm@ph.au.dk