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%): 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… Speak Listen Read Write Do 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 guidebook.aspx guidebook.aspx Organizational Action Plan

Health Literacy Champion A framework for success

Organizational Standards National Patient Safety Guidelines /npsgs.aspx /npsgs.aspx Public Health Accreditation Standards Version-1.5-Board-adopted-FINAL docx.pdf Version-1.5-Board-adopted-FINAL docx.pdf

Susan Ferrone, Project Director Susan Bockrath, NALHD Executive Director

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