6 - Communicating Effectively With Patients Flashcards
What is health literacy?
degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions
What factors is health literacy dependent on?
Individual and systemic factors:
* Communication skills of lay persons and professionals;
* Knowledge of health topics;
* Culture;
* Demands of the healthcare and public health systems;
* Demands of the situation
What does health literacy affect peoples ability to do?
- Navigate the healthcare system, including filling out complex forms and
locating providers and services; - Share personal information, such as health history, with providers;
- Engage in self-care and chronic-disease management;
- Understand mathematical concepts such as probability and risk.
What is plain language?
strategy for making written and oral information easier to
understand. It is one important tool for improving health literacy
How is plain language beneficial?
communication that users can understand the first time they read or
hear it. With reasonable time and effort, a plain language document is one in which people can find what they need, understand what they find, and act appropriately on
that understanding
What are key elements of plain language?
- Organizing information so that the most important points come first;
- Breaking complex information into understandable chunks;
- Using simple language and defining technical terms;
- Using the active voice
Should you or should you not use jargon when using plain language?
DO NOT
Don’t refer to a crown as a cap and complete denture as plates
What is cultural competence?
ability of health organizations and practitioners to
recognize the cultural beliefs, values, attitudes, traditions, language
preferences, and health practices of diverse populations, and to apply that knowledge to produce a positive health outcome
What do healthcare workers adopt that may not be beneficial for patients?
“Culture of medicine” and the language of their specialty as a result of training and environment
How should health information for people with limited english proficiency (LEP) need to be communicated?
Plainly in their primary language, using words and examples that make the information understandable
Who are patients most at risk to low health literacy?
- older adults;
- people with less than a high school degree or GED certificate;
- people with low income levels;
- non-native speakers of English;
- people with compromised health status
What are the 5 factors that affect a person’s health literacy skills?
- Education
- Language
- Culture
- Access to resources
- Age
Who is primarily responsible for improving health litearcy?
Public health professionals and the healthcare/public health systems
What are tips for presenting tx plans to pts?
- Sit facing the patient at eye level. Never have the patient in a reclining position.
- Use language the patient can understand, for example bone loss around the tooth
as opposed to a three walled bony pocket. - Avoid using threatening or anxiety-producing terms.
- Talk to the patient, don’t preach
- Be mindful of your body language;
- Don’t overwhelm the patient with minute details unless the patient specifically asks;
- Ask the patient to repeat back to you the information to confirm understanding of the
treatment plan; - Use models, wax-ups, photos, radiographs, etc. to emphasize key points.
What is informed consent?
moral and legal premise of patient autonomy: You
as the patient have the right to make decisions about your own health and medical conditions.
- “process” for getting permission before conducting a healthcare intervention on a person
