GInKA - Gesundheitsbezogene Informationskompetenzen im Alter

Health-information literacy in old age. Improving adults' health information literacy as a contribution to healthy ageing The project aims at acquiring knowledge about health information literacy and health-related information behavior in middle-aged and older adults. Based on its findings, a training program fostering health information literacy will be developed. The project is based on the assumption that »healthy« ageing is influenced positively by adequate health behaviors, e.g., by a prevention-oriented lifestyle. However, in everyday life, there are many myths and misconceptions about »healthy ageing« which are for example spread by people, by traditional media or websites. In addition, knowledge from the domains of medicine, neurosciences and gerontology is constantly changing. Therefore, the ability to acquire information about »healthy« ageing, to evaluate and weigh this information, and to derive well-founded conclusions about individual health behaviors, may contribute to autonomy in old age as well as »healthy« ageing.