CS 2

• Literacy:  An individual’s ability to read, write and speak in English
• Health Literacy:  The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information

  • services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
• following indicate Low Functional Health Literacy

  • Lack
  • background knowledge
  • vocabulary
  • experience
  • knowledge to navigate
• Why are patients at risk?

  • Reliance on the written word for patient instruction
  • Increasingly complex healthcare system
• Low health literacy

  • elder > 65 y/o
  • Hispanic
• Risk to low risk health literacy

  • access to care limited
  • safety - to their health
  • quality
  • outcomes to their health
• Patient with low literacy is more likely to be hospitalize
• Health Literacy Partnership advocates focusing on clear communication with all patients
• Recognize red flags

  • making excuses
  • perceived resistance
  • does not have any questions
  • frequently missed appointment
  • non-adherent with meds or treatment
• More red flags to watch more with low health literacy

  • incomplete form
  • seek help late
  • unable to name meds
• How can you help with health literacy?

  • Ask: “How happy are you with how you read?”
• strategy to improve interpersonal communication

  • slow down
  • use plain, non medical language
  • use analogies and pictures
  • limit to most important concepts
  • repeat them
• use methods that summarize and break information down into smaller parts

  • chuck and check - summarize and check
  • do not ask "do you understand" - tell them to repeat
• use teach-back method

  • ask pt to demonstrate understanding
  • check for understanding
  • reteach the info
  • DO not be demeaning