education and health literacy

Question 1

educational attainment

Answer 1

• years of overall schooling a person has, rather than instruction on specific health topics
• quality of education is difficult to measure and not typically available - but equally important
• having less than a high school degree > poorest health outcomes (relationship is also on a gradient)
• people with more education are likely to live longer, to experience better health outcomes, and to practice health-promoting behaviors

Question 2

observed associations between education and health

Answer 2

• the educational gradient is evident for all outcomes and in all race/ethnic/gender groups
• major group differences in predicted level of health problems
• adults with “some college” are similar to health outcomes to high school graduates

Question 3

health benefits associated with education

Answer 3

enhancing cognitive skills, navigating the healthcare system, personal health behaviors, attainment of economic and social resources

Question 4

impact at the individual level

Answer 4

• cognitive skills: problem solving ability, learned effectiveness, personal control
• non-cognitive skills: conscientiousness, openess to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability
• reading, mathematics, and science

Question 5

navigating the health care system

Answer 5

understand - health needs
follow or read - follow or read instructions
advocate - advocate for themselves or their families
communicate - communicate effectively with their health care providers (symptoms, health history, etc.)

Question 6

personal health behaviors

Answer 6

• adults with higher levels of education are less likely to engage in risky behaviors
• education gradient in health behaviors exist
• education offers opportunities to learn more about health and health risks
• adults with higher levels of education also tend to have lower exposure to stress related to economic deprivation, as well as more resources

Question 7

education and economic resources

Answer 7

gaining employment, health insurance, worksite health promotion programs

Question 8

education and social resources

Answer 8

greater social support, social networks, civic groups and organziation

Question 9

impact at the community level

Answer 9

individuals with more education benefit from health-related characteristics of the environment in which they live, work, and study
- access to resources that are important to health is contingent on community-level resources and institutions
- social capital and collective efficacy

Question 10

larger social context and social policy

Answer 10

• health inequities are driven by social policies
• decisions made by society, voters, and policy makers have an influence on education
• employment trends provide less opportunities for individuals
• inequality by gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability

Question 11

three major pathways

Answer 11

health knowledge and behaviors – employment and income – social and psychological factors

Question 12

health knowledge and behaviors pathway

Answer 12

health knowledge + literacy + coping and problem solving —>
diet, exercise, no smoking, health and disease management –>
health

Question 13

employment and income pathway

Answer 13

work –> working conditions + work-related resources + income —
exposure to hazards, control/demand imbalance, stress
health insurance, sick leave, retirement benefits, wellness programs
housing, neighborhood environment, diet and exercise options

Question 14

reverse causality and selection

Answer 14

poor nutrition, substance use, smoking, obesity, sleep disorders, mental health, asthma, poor vision, inattention/hyperactivity

Question 15

school readiness is enhanced by:

Answer 15

positive early childhood conditions, fetal well being, social emotional development, family SES and neighborhood SES, early childhood education

Question 16

whole school, whole community, whole child framework

Answer 16

a unified, collaborative approach designed to improve learning and health in our nation’s schools

Question 17

social and emotional learning

Answer 17

self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making

Question 18

recommendations

Answer 18

• improve health through education policies and programs
• investments to promote and increase educational attainment could have both human and economic benefits
• close the gaps in educational attainment

Question 19

every student succeeds act

Answer 19

health education as an academic subject (separate from physical education) longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students

Question 20

health literacy

Answer 20

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

Question 21

health literacy depends on

Answer 21

communication skills of both patient and professional, lay and professional knowledge of health topics, culture, demands of healthcare and public health systems, demands of the sitation/context

Question 22

health literacy and health outcomes

Answer 22

• use of preventative services
• knowledge about medical conditions and treatment
• rates of hospitalization
• health status
• healthcare costs
• stigma and shame

Question 23

national assessment of adult literacy

Answer 23

• conducted in 2003 to assess the english literacy of adults in the U.S
• the assessment was administered to more than 19,000 adults in households or prisons
• the assessment measured literacy directly through tasks completed by adults rather than subjective evaluation such as self-report

Question 24

proficient health literacy

Answer 24

12 %

Question 25

intermediate health literacy

Answer 25

53%

Question 26

basic health literacy

Answer 26

22%

Question 27

below basic health literacy

Answer 27

14%

Question 28

best practices to improve to improve health literacy

Answer 28

identify the intended users of the health information and services
- audience segmentation
evaluate users’ understanding before, during, and after the introduction of information and services
- invite members of the intended user group to determine what information they will need and how to use it
acknowledge cultural differences and practice respect
- accepted roles of men and women, body language
limit the number of messages, use plain language and focus on action

Question 29

plain language

Answer 29

a strategy for making written and oral information easier to understand
- needs to be understood the first time a person reads or hears the language
- organize information so that the important points come first
- breaking complex information into understandable chunks
- using simple language and defining technical terms
- using the active voice