Levels of Health Literacy
The level of health literacy being displayed when a patient can read a prescription label and follow instructions listed in a discharge visit summary.
What is Functional level of health literacy?
7 year old patient presents with acute onset epistaxis associated with nasal passageway xerosis.
What is "7 year old patient with new nosebleeds due to dryness in nostrils"?
The principle that recommends using simple language that most people understand.
What is Everyday Words?
What populations struggle with health literacy?
What is patients and providers?
35% of physicians couldn't fully understand an informed consent form and 67% had never heard the term "health literacy." Depending on the study, anywhere from one-third to the large majority of U.S. adults have limited health literacy.
A new variation of a common chemotherapy drug has recently been approved by the FDA for commercial use. As an oncology PA, you receive a MyChart message from an established patient asking if the new medication may be a good fit for their health needs and if there are any risks to consider. The patient is eager to discuss the data shown in clinical trials of the medication at their next office visit. What level of health literacy is this patient displaying?
What is critical level of health literacy?
This patient has the ability to critically analyze information related to their health needs. This is shown by the patient’s ability to prompt discussion about relevant evidence coming from clinical trials, as well as weighing the pros and cons of taking the new medication.
The malignant melanoma has metastasized from the epithelial cells located in the patient's unilateral posterior or dorsal wrist to their hepatocytes.
What is "The invasive skin cancer has spread from the cells located on the back of one of the patient’s wrists to their liver"?
This Principle encourages explaining something using relatable examples, for example, the heart is like a pump.
What is Analogies Help?
Name three possible consequences of low health literacy in an outpatient setting.
What are missed follow-up appointments, skipped preventive screenings, medication errors, avoidable ER visits, and medical debt? (Any three counts.)
You are working as a PA at a local OBGYN clinic. Your patient is 6 months pregnant and you have just prescribed a new medication. At the end of the office visit, the patient voices concern about how the medication may affect fetal development. What level of health literacy is the patient displaying in this example and why?
What is Communicative level of health literacy?
The patient has moved past functional levels of health literacy (like reading instructions) and is actively expressing concerns about starting a new medication and how they may affect fetal health.
Obtunded patient presents today with an acute myocardial infarction secondary to an atherosclerotic coronary artery occlusion diagnosed last year.
What is "The patient, unresponsive, is here for a blockage that prevents blood from getting to their heart muscle, commonly known as a heart attack. This occurred as a likely result of build up in their blood vessels diagnosed last year"?
This principle advises the clinician to limit the information to three main points presenting them in a clear, logical, and organized format.
What is Keep it Short?
Low health literacy costs the U.S. healthcare system this much per year.
What is $106 to $238 billion? (Accept anything in the $100 billion+ range.)
A patient is able to repeat back medication instructions, and understands diagnosis being given by a medical provider, but is unable to read or write. What is the health literacy of the patient?
What is Functional Health Literacy?
"The patient's imaging displayed a mass which was later biopsied and benign as well as a mild deviation of the nasal septum"
Translate this phrase to plain language.
What is "The patient's nasal imaging showed the middle part of the nose was slightly curved and showed a growth that was sampled and declared harmless, noncancerous, and non-life threatening”?
A patient's medication was changed to a new dose during their last office visit, but today the patient is expressing that they have been taking the wrong dose. What health literacy principles can you use to help your patient remember how to take their medication?
What is Keep it short, and use plain language?
Name at least 3 populations that can have low health literacy.
- Historically marginalized communities
- Lower socioeconomic status
- Lower education levels
- Lower employment and insurance access
- Men struggle more
- Older adults
- Those who speak English as a second
language
- Those with cognitive disabilities