A staggering 9 out of 10 adults in a 2003 study were not “proficient” at health literacy1. That means, when patients see their providers, many of them aren’t able to fully understand the information they’re provided. This lack of understanding can translate to poor health care outcomes, despite the quality and accuracy of the information they actually receive.
But how can a health care professional help in this situation? On Tuesday, December 5, two of our medical research librarians presented on health literacy at the point of care. Sigriet Ferrer and Erin Keenan shared some simple first steps that health care professionals can take to clarify verbal, written, and follow-up communications that improve their patient’s understanding of their own care.
Here’s a list of resources that Sigriet and Erin compiled for both physicians and patients. You can also view the resources list on our website: visualdx.com/healthliteracy.
If you missed the presentation, view the recording online.
This webinar is part of our ongoing Clinical Education Series. Watch all our webinars and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn about upcoming webinars.
References:
1. Kutner, M., Greenberg, E., Jin, Y., and Paulsen, C. (2006). The Health Literacy of America’s Adults: Results From the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NCES 2006–483). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics
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