Lecture 5: Health literacy - trudi aspden Flashcards
What is literacy?
The written and oral language people use in their everyday life and work including reading, writing, speaking and listening
What is health literacy?
the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions
what is the relationship between literacy and health literacy?
they are closely associated, but not exactly the same,
we can have one without the other
What is the proportion of NZers which have low health literacy levels?
56%
What is the minimum required score for individuals to meet the complex demands of every day life and work in the emerging knowledge based economy?
275.
most NZers score less than 275 on average
In NZ, which groups do you fall under as more likely to have low health literacy?
male, older, maori or pacifica, living in a rural area, have english as a second language, or a low level of educational qualification.
Why is low health literacy a barrier to optimal health?
Things like health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, health system navigation/accessing services all depend on the general population having an adequate level of health literacy, if this is not the case, the above actions will not have effect
What are people with poor health literacy LESS likely to do?
Use prevention services e.g. Screening
Be knowledgeable about their illness, treatment and medicines,
Manage their long term/chronic condition
How is low health literacy an issue to screening programmes?
Screening programmes rely heavily on patients knowing
The purpose of the screening
The date and place
And the procedure involved
Otherwise the may not show up to the appointment, or refuse to go through with it
What are people with poor health literacy more likely to do?
Be hospitalised due to chronic condition
Use emergency services
Suffer a workplace injury
Why are people with low health literacy more likely to suffer a workplace injury?
because they do not understand safety precaution messages
What is the ideal patient expected to do regarding their health?
Monitor and manage their own health
Manage their own medications
Read, and interpret spoken and written information,
Listen, understand and remember important health/medicine related explanations and directions
Give accurate info to pharmacy staff about medical problems, symptoms and health related issues
What does monitoring and managing ones own health involve?
Notice and be able to accurately describe changes in symptoms
Seek appropriate help when needed
Use devices like BP monitors and BG meters, understand what the results mean and make dietary and sometimes insulin dose adjustments accordingly
What does managing ones own medications involve?
Know what to do if a dose is missed
Be able to count pills and measure liquid doses
Be able to calculate how long medications will last,
Be able to organise a new prescription, collect a repeat when required,
Be able to use clocks and calenders to ensure that medications are taken correctly
Work out dose intervals e.g. 2 tablets every 4 hours
What does reading and interpreting spoken and written information involve?
Being able to read and understand labels and information leaflets including different names (generic and brand names) of medicines
Being able to understand the dosage instructions
Why is it hard for patients to accurately give medical professionals info about their medical problems, history, symptoms and other related issues?
The patient is often not medically trained so information is likely to be inaccurate
What are the consequences of poor health literacy?
Noadherence to medication treatment plans including missed repeats, inappropriate dosing or timing of meds
Failure to recognise side effects or drug interactions.
Increased emergency department costs
Reduced ability to self manage conditions
Reduced engagement with care plan/ health care system
Why is it difficult to recognise people who have a low level of health literacy?
Many patients with low health literacy
Feel ashamed of poor reading or understanding
Have strategies to hide their difficulties
Often avoid reading in public situations
What can pharmacists do to help people with low health literacy?
By having an awareness of the barriers faced by people with low health literacy to navigating the NZ health system
Adopt an attitude of helpfulness - i.e. Be willing to adapt practices
Being an advocate for patients with low health literacy
By establishing rapport with customers and patients
Being aware of signs that may indicate low health literacy
Using the universal precautions approach with all patients
What are some signs that may indicate low health literacy?
If patient claims they cant read because they have forgotten their glasses,
Or odd behaviour like bringing in repeats when they are not due.
Why is the universal precautions approach used?
We dont really want to single out and embarrass patients or make assumptions so best to treat everyone the same at first
What is the universal precautions approach?
Specific actions that minimise risk for everyone when it is unclear which patients may be affected
They are also communication practices which remove literacy related barriers
This is done by structuring patient interactions to minimise the risk that any patient will not understand the health information they are given
It allows patients to make informed decisions about their health care,
What are some things that can be done to help with low health literacy patients?
Avoid jargon when counselling
Consider the content and font size of labels
Dont overload with information - focus on the need to know and need to do and limit this to 3-5 points
Repeat and summarise
What kind of explanations can we use when dealing with low health literacy patients?
Use of specific examples that are relevant to the patient, i.e. Personalise
Use diagrams, models, analogies and demonstrations to explain concepts or complex instructions or techniques
Search useful resources to use, e,g, pharmac, asthma foundation, public health offices
