Research

Our best-practice programs are based on the latest global understanding of health literacy development supported by insights from local organisations and communities, ensuring sustainable, relevant solutions to health and health literacy challenges.

While we do not conduct research, we actively contribute to global health literacy understanding through our research partnerships, publishing work in peer-reviewed journals. You can read research findings in the papers listed below.

If you’re interested on collaborating on research with us, contact us.

Research publications

2018

Nash, R., Elmer, S., Thomas, K., Osborne, R., MacIntyre, K., Shelley, B., Murray, L., Harpur, S., & Webb, D. (2018). HealthLit4Kids study protocol; crossing boundaries for positive health literacy outcomes. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5558-7

2019

Nash, R., Elmer, S., & Osborne, R. (2019). HealthLit4Kids: Building health literacy from the school ground up. In B. Shelley, K te Riele, N. Brown & T. Crellin (Eds.), Harnessing the transformative power of education (pp. 210-225), Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004417311_015

2020

Nash, R., Cruickshank, V., Flittner, A., Mainsbridge, C., Pill, S., & Elmer, S. (2020). How did parents view the impact of the curriculum-based HealthLit4Kids program beyond the classroom? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4), 1449. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041449

2021

Elmer, S., Nash, R., Kemp, N., Coleman, C., Wyss, M., & Roach, J. (2021). HealthLit4Kids: Supporting schools to be health literacy responsive organisations. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 32, 17– 28. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.412

Kelly, R.K., & Nash, R. (2021). Food literacy interventions in elementary schools: A systematic scoping review, Journal of School Health, 91(8), 660-669. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13053

MacDonald, A., Cruickshank, V., Nash, R., & Patterson, K. (2021). Contemplating [en]active curriculum: becoming health literate through arts and HPE interconnection. Curriculum Perspectives, 41, 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41297-020-00129-x

Nash, R., Cruickshank, V., Pill, S., MacDonald, A., Coleman, C., & Elmer, S. (2021). HealthLit4Kids: Dilemmas associated with student health literacy development in the primary school setting. Health Education Journal, 80(2), 173–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896920961423

Nash, R., Otten, C., Pill, S., Williams, J., Mainsbridge, C., Cruickshank, V., & Elmer, S. (2021). School leaders’ reflections on their school’s engagement in a program to foster health literacy development. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2, 100089, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2021.100089

Nash, R., Patterson, K., Flittner, A., Elmer, S., & Osborne, R. (2021). School-based health literacy programs for children (2-16 Years): An international review. Journal of School Health, 91, 632-649. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13054

2022

Cruickshank, V., Pill, S., Williams, J., Nash, R., Mainsbridge, C.P., MacDonald, A., & Elmer, S. (2022). Exploring the ‘everyday philosophies’ of generalist primary school teacher delivery of health literacy education, Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2022.2059384

Kelly, R.K., Peralta, L., & Nash, R. (2022). Promoting food literacy in primary school classrooms through the HealthLit4Kids program in Australia. Health Promotion International, 37(6), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daac166

Otten, C., Nash, R., & Patterson, K. (2022). HealthLit4Kids: Teacher experiences of health literacy professional development in the primary school setting. Health Promotion International, daac053. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daac053

Otten, C., Nash, R., & Patterson, K. (2022). Professional development in health education for primary school teachers: A systematised review of the literature. Professional Development in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2022.2038233

Otten, C., Kemp, N., Spencer, M., & Nash, R. (2022). Supporting children’s health literacy development: A systematised review of the literature. International Journal of Educational Research, 115, 102046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2022.102046

2023

Otten, C.E., Moltow, D., Kemp, N., & Nash R.E. (2023). The imperative to develop health literacy: An ethical evaluation of HealthLit4Kids. Journal of Child Health Care, 27(2), 253-265. https://doi.org/10.1177/13674935221143883