Presenting the Health Literacy Improvement Model of the Teaching Staff of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences with the Grounded Theory Approach

 Medical science universities need to improve their employees' health literacy. Despite the existence of the health literacy paradigm in education and health for a long time, there is still no comprehensive model for these universities to follow. This has made identifying and developing medicine's antecedents difficult, and the lack of health literacy among employees remains a significant challenge for these centers. To address this issue, the current research aims to provide a model for improving the health literacy of teaching staff at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, using grounded theory as the approach.

 A qualitative content analysis approach was used for research, utilizing the "grounded theory" method. A group of experts and professors from Ardabil University of Medical Sciences were interviewed through semi-structured in-depth interviews. To ensure accuracy, a targeted method was used to select ten statistical samples, continuing until theoretical saturation in the data. The data was analyzed using coding inspired by Glaser's theory, and the MaxQDA software was utilized to extract categories related to the pattern.

 Based on the findings, the study categorized 213 primary codes in open coding, 71 major categories in axial coding, and 11 core categories in selective coding in the form of causal conditions, contextual, intervening, strategies/actions, consequences, and the main phenomenon (health literacy) were classified. To accomplish the research goals through data-based theorizing, health literacy was identified as the main phenomenon. A logical model was formulated that relies on understanding its causal, contextual, and intervening conditions, strategies/measures, and consequences.

 By adopting this model, we observed a significant enhancement in the health literacy of the teaching staff of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. Therefore, it can be concluded that the implementation of this model has been successful.