Health Literacy Basics
Health literacy is the ability to do what?
Access, understand, evaluate, communicate health information.
A patient says 'I'll read this later'. What might this indicate?
Low health literacy/avoidance.
What tool measures reading ease?
Flesch-Kincaid.
What does SILS screen for?
Reading difficulty.
Universal precautions approach assumes what?
Everyone may struggle with understanding.
What is literacy?
Ability to read/write at the 8th grade level or above.
Missing appointments signals what?
Health literacy challenges.
Target Flesch-Kincaid score?
>60.
SILS question asks how often the person needs help doing what?
Reading medical instructions.
Plain language uses simple words, conversational tone, and what other technique?
Chunking.
What is low literacy?
Reading at the 5th-8th grade level.
Handing forms back blank suggests what?
Low literacy.
What does PEMAT assess?
Understandability and actionability.
What procedure deletes every 5th word in a text?
Cloze test.
Tailoring educations means adjusting information to what?
Patient's needs and context.
What is functional literacy?
Using written materials in real-life situations.
Patients memorizing pills by colour indicates what?
Difficulty reading labels.
Name something PEMAT does not assess.
Accuracy, readability.
Listening tests evaluate what?
Comprehension.
What helps reduce powerlessness in patients?
Relational practice.
Name one group at high risk of low health literacy.
Older adults, immigrants, low-income, chronic illness, low education.
Why might some patients hide literacy issues?
Shame/stigma.
What tool evaluates suitability across six areas (content, layout, etc.)?
SAM (suitability assessment of materials).
Why don't we routinely test literacy?
Can embarrass/shame patients.
Name one factor that temporarily lowers health literacy during illness.
Stress, pain, medications, fatigue, fear.