Putting Information Into Health Literacy

1. Putting Information Into Health Literacy The Health Information Literacy Curriculum Originally sponsored by the Medical Library Association Originally funded by the National Library of Medicine Contract Number HHSN276200663511/NO1-LM-6-3511 Updated by the NN/LM MCR September 2012

2. Learning Objectives • Recognize the impact low health literacy has on patient care • Name five strategies and resources to improve health literacy • Describe the health literacy services offered by the library

3. What is Health Literacy? • A set of skills that people need to function effectively in the health care environment Source: Berkman et al (2011). Health literacy interventions and outcomes: an updated systematic review, pg. ES1.

4. What Factors Affect Health Literacy? Health literacy is dependent on individual and system factors • Communication skills • Information and knowledge • Culture and language • Demands of the system

5. Role of Health Communication and Health Information Technology • Effective use of communication and technology can increase health literacy; • Support shared decision-making; • Provide new opportunities to connect with culturally diverse and hard-to-reach populations Source: Healthy People 2020: Health Communication and Health Information Technology Objectives.

6. What are the Challenges? • Health literacy in the U.S. • Readability of health materials • Health information and the Internet

7. Health Literacy in the U.S. 77 million adults have basic or below health literacy skills Proficient 12% Below Basic 13% 53% Intermediate 22% Basic Source: The Health Literacy of American Adults. Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. National Center for Education Statistics (2006).

8. Why is Health Literacy Important? Low health literacy is linked to… • Under-utilization of services • Increased medication errors • Poor knowledge about health • Increased hospitalizations • Poor health outcomes • Increased healthcare costs

9. Health Literacy and Healthcare Costs • Annual Healthcare Costs of Medicaid Enrollees (>4th-grade reading level) (<3rd-grade reading level) Source: Weiss, et al (2004). J Am Board FamPract.

10. Strategies to Improve Health Literacy • Use plain language • Limit information (3-5 key points) • Use easy-to-read print materials • Practice teach-back • Use Information Rx

11. Plain Language Plain Language • High blood pressure • Can’t sleep • NOT cancer • Dangerous • Problem • Choice • Often • Bad Medical • Hypertension • Insomnia • Benign • Hazardous • Disorder • Option • Routinely • Adverse

12. Teach-Back Method Source: Help Your Patients Understand. AMA Foundation Health Literacy.

13. How is Information Critical to Health Literacy? Health information is key to: • Patient and provider communication • Shared health care decision making • Understanding and following directions • Recognizing when to seek care • Learning and adopting healthy behaviors

14. www.MedlinePlus.gov

15. Interactive Health Tutorials

16. www.NIHSeniorHealth.gov

17. Source: www.library.tufts.edu/hsl/spiral/

18. “Top 10” Most Useful Consumer Health Websites • KidsHealth.org* • Mayoclinic.com* • MedlinePlus.gov* • Noah-health.org* • NIHSeniorHealth.gov • Cancer.gov* • CDC.gov* • Familydoctor.org* • Healthfinder.gov* • HIVInsite.ucsf.edu* *Available in Spanish Source: Medical Library Association. www.mlanet.org.

19. Information Rx

20. How Can Librarians Help? • Free access to the Internet • Information Rx Program • Patient information packets • Consumer health collection • Native language resources • Teaching and training • Virtual chat / email assistance • Health literacy workgroup

21. Take Home Points • Accurate and reliable health information is critical to health literacy • Use Information Rx to refer patients to reliable health information and to the library for help • Librarians are available to address the health literacy needs of patients and providers

22. Thank You! Questions? Comments?