Talking about Literacy & Health
News • Questions & Answers • Tools

Overview: “Take on an empty stomach.” Just what does that mean? A simple prescription label can be confusing for many people, especially those with low health literacy.

Health literacy is the ability to understand and act on basic health information. Nearly half of all adults in the United Sates — 90 million people — have trouble understanding and using health information. Low health literacy affects a person's health status more than any other factor, including education, income, employment or race. People may speak English well, but still have low health literacy.

People with low health literacy:

• don't seek preventative care
• are less likely to follow prescribed treatments
• stay in the hospital longer than those with higher health literacy
• are often ashamed to ask for help making health care decisions

News
Latest research and opinion on literacy and health

• New! Free online training on health literacy Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) offers a free online course called: "Unified Health Communication 101: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency, and Limited English Proficiency." The HRSA course was developed in partnership with the National Library of Medicine, and is appropriate for health care providers and consumers.
• Low Cost Communication Improves Medication Adherence After Heart Attack In the year following a heart attack, over half of patients may not continue taking their medications. Personalized letters and educational materials sent directly to heart attack patients can increase adherence by nearly 20 percent, according to a study published the Archives of Internal Medicine.
• MN providers see health literacy as a growing problem Over 80% of respondents to an on-line survey by the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership feel that lack of health literacy is a problem in Minnesota, and that many people do not understand basic health information. The survey of over 100 staff in health care organizations also asked about steps the organizations may have taken to address health literacy; over 75% of respondents said their organizations had taken at least some steps.

Thanks to Hennepin County for assistance in compiling news items. Contact Luanne Nyberg to receive a daily email digest of research headlines.

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Literacy: Questions & Answers
Equitable treatment for patients regardless of literacy level

• Why does literacy matter to health care providers?
• What is "plain language?"
• How can I distinguish between poor literacy, poor understanding, and noncompliance in a patent?

Q. Why does literacy matter to health care providers?

A. Health literacy is related to overall literacy. Nearly 45 percent of Americans can't carry out basic literacy tasks, such as identifying a specific location on a map or reading a table about blood pressure.

Providers make low health literacy problems worse by using complicated medical terms when simpler words would work better. Providers can improve communication simply by listening to patients. On average, providers interrupt patients fewer than 25 seconds after they begin speaking.

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Q, What is “plain language?”

A. When you use “plain language,” you speak or write in a way that your audience can understand information the first time they read your writing or hear what you say.

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Q. How can I distinguish between poor literacy, or poor understanding, and noncompliance from a patient?

A. You won’t need to, if you follow two simple steps, say literacy experts. First, after giving health care instructions, ask your patient, “Was I clear? Is there some part I should go over again?” This makes it clear that you, the provider, are responsible for making the message clear, and that your patient has a right to such clarity. Second, to check for comprehension, try a “teachback.” Say something like, “Now, just to be sure we are on the same page, why don’t you show me what you would do when …” These two steps will help assure clear communication and understanding with every patient, and not just those you think might have low health literacy.

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Got a question? Share it on the Exchange members' discussion forum.

Tools:
Key publications, websites and organizations on literacy and health

National resources

Is Our Pharmacy Meeting Patients' Needs? A Pharmacy Health Literacy Assessment Tool User's Guide. An assessment tool that includes an evaluation program to be completed by an outside auditor, a survey for pharmacy staff and a guide for patient focus groups. Produced by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Strategies to Improve Communication between Pharmacy Staff and Patients: A Training Program for Pharmacy Staff. Features informative slides and resources that pharmacies can use to hold small group discussions among staff, lead role playing scenarios, and conduct question and answer sessions. Produced by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Quick Guide to Health Literacy: Learn what professionals can do to improve health literacy among adults from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s web site.

What Did the Doctor Say? Improving Health Literacy to Protect Patient Safety: Report from the Joint Commission explains how effective communication is a cornerstone of patient safety.

Plain Language Guide: A federal government guide for writing “reader friendly” documents.

Talking the Talk: Improving Patient-Provider Communication: Easy to digest tips from the Macarthur Foundation’s Center for the Advancement of Health about health literacy and resources.

Minnesota connections

Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership: Networking group that meets monthly in Saint Paul to discuss health literacy issues and programs. Publishes quarterly issue briefs online.

Minnesota Literacy Council: Statewide organization to help children and adults acquire the literacy skills they need to become successful students, workers, family members, and community citizens.

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