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Related Experiment Videos

Literacy in primary care populations: is it a problem?

June L Smith1, Jeannie Haggerty

  • 1Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal. smithjuno@hotmail.com

Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne De Sante Publique
|January 1, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Nine percent of primary care patients had low health literacy. Most patient education pamphlets require a high school reading level, hindering access for those with limited literacy and potentially impacting health outcomes.

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Area of Science:

  • Health Literacy
  • Patient Education
  • Primary Care

Background:

  • Low health literacy affects a significant portion of the population, impacting their ability to use print media.
  • Understanding the prevalence of low-literacy patients is crucial for effective primary care.
  • Patient education materials must be accessible to all individuals, regardless of reading ability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of low-literacy patients in a primary care setting.
  • To assess the association between reading grade level and self-perceived health status.
  • To evaluate the readability of commonly used patient education pamphlets.

Main Methods:

  • A random sample of 229 patients (aged 18-85) were surveyed.
  • Reading ability was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Pamphlet readability was analyzed using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formula.

    • Main Results:

    • 9% of patients demonstrated low health literacy.
    • Low literacy was more common in younger adults without a high school diploma and immigrants.
    • The average reading level of pamphlets was grade 11.5; 78% required at least a high school level.

    Conclusions:

    • Health literacy levels in the studied population were higher than anticipated, possibly due to assessment methods.
    • The majority of patient education materials are too difficult for low-literate individuals.
    • Healthcare providers should consider patient reading abilities and simplify educational materials to improve health outcomes.