Health Literacy:Moving From Awareness to Action

Objectives• Define Health Literacy• Associate literacy, health literacy and health outcomes• Know the 10 Attributes of Health Literate Organizations (Brach et. al.,

2013)

• Know tools for creating an Organizational Health Literacy Action Plan and applying an Organizational Health Literacy Action Plan to: – PHAB Accreditation, – National Patient Safety Guidelines, and – Patient Centered Medical Homes

• Understand the Health Literacy Champion Tool, and related resources

INTRODUCTIONS

Health Literacy

Literacy Demands Systems &

Organizations

Provider Skills &

Experience

Client Skills &

Experience

“The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.”

(Healthy People 2010)

Health Literacy in America (NAAL 2003 Data)

Proficient (12%): Define medical terms from complex document, calculate share of employee health insurance.

Intermediate (53%): Determine healthy weight from body mass index (BMI) chart, interpret prescription and over-the-counter drug labels.

Basic (22%): Understand simple patient education handout.

Below Basic (14%): Circle date on appointment slip. Understand simple pamphlet about pre-test instructions.

(Kutner, Greenberg, Jin, & Paulsen, 2006 )

Health Literacy

Includes the ability to…SpeakListenReadWriteDo math

Impact of Health Literacy

Predictors of Health Status• Literacy Skills• Age• Income• Employment Status• Educational Level• Racial or Ethnic Group

Health Literacy is NOT Static

• Influenced by underlying literacy skills AND…

• Fear

• Unfamiliarity with information

• Distractions of the moment

• Feeling ill in the moment

• and more…

10 ATTRIBUTES

• Health Literacy Guidebook – Unity Point• Health Literacy Assessment• https://www.unitypoint.org/health-literacy-guidebo

ok.aspx

Organizational Action Plan

Health Literacy ChampionA framework for success

• http://nalhd.org/resources-HL-Champion.html

Organizational Standards

• National Patient Safety Guidelines• http://

www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/npsgs.aspx

• Public Health Accreditation Standards• http://

www.phaboard.org/wp-content/uploads/SM-Version-1.5-Board-adopted-FINAL-01-24-2014.docx.pdf

Susan Ferrone, Project Director402-904-7946OPIHLprojectdirector@nalhd.org

Susan Bockrath, NALHD Executive Director402-904-7946susanbockrath@nalhd.org

• Put the most important information first• Use the simplest, most straightforward

words to express an idea• Avoid jargon, abbreviations, acronyms• Use “living room language”, “kitchen table”

words• Use stories and analogies• Use pictures• Use examples

Plain Language About Attributes