Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
06:28
E-Patient Counseling Trial (E-PACO): Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Facilitating behavior change with low-literacy patient education materials
Hilary K Seligman1, Andrea S Wallace, Darren A DeWalt
1Division of General Internal Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. hseligman@medsfgh.ucsf.edu
American Journal of Health Behavior
|October 20, 2007
Summary
Developing effective low-literacy health education materials requires a structured process beyond just simplifying text. This approach aims to increase patient knowledge and encourage healthier behaviors by considering multiple factors.
Area of Science:
- Health Communication
- Behavioral Science
- Patient Education
Background:
- Traditional health education materials often have low health literacy demands.
- Effective patient education requires materials that are accessible and actionable.
- Activating patients toward healthier behaviors is a key goal in chronic disease management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline a systematic process for creating low-literacy health education materials.
- To enhance patient knowledge and promote behavior change through accessible content.
- To demonstrate the application of this process using a diabetes self-management guide.
Main Methods:
- Assembled a multidisciplinary team for material development.
- Incorporated stakeholder input and identified core concepts.
- Mapped concepts to behavioral theory and designed interventions.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive process for developing low-literacy materials was established.
- The process was successfully applied to create a diabetes self-management guide.
- Material refinement and efficacy assessment were integral steps.
Conclusions:
- Developing impactful low-literacy health materials involves more than simplifying reading levels.
- A theory-informed, stakeholder-engaged process is crucial for activating patients.
- Consideration of behavioral science principles enhances material effectiveness.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Health Literacy
Health literacy is an individual's or a community's capacity to comprehend, receive, read, and use relevant healthcare information and services. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) defines health literacy as the cognitive and social skills that determine the ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health. As a result, the WHO helps individuals manage long-term health concerns, participate in preventative programs,...
01:26Atherosclerosis III: Management
Management of atherosclerosis involves an integrated strategy encompassing pharmacological treatment, surgical interventions, lifestyle changes, and nutrition therapy to address the multifactorial nature of the disease.Pharmacological TherapyA cornerstone of atherosclerosis management is the use of pharmacological agents. Statins, such as atorvastatin, are pivotal in inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that catalyzes an initial step in cholesterol synthesis in the liver. This reduction in...
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:25Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching II: Planning and Implementation
Planning for learning involves the development of a teaching plan. Teaching plans are similar to nursing care plans—both follow the steps of the nursing process. Planning in the teaching process involves setting goals and outcomes. Here, goals identify what a patient needs to achieve to understand a healthcare topic better, whereas the outcomes are the action to be performed by the patient to achieve the goal within a timeframe. For example, if the goal is to educate the patient about insulin...
01:23Hypertension V: Nursing Management
The nursing management of hypertension involves accurately assessing symptoms, making a comprehensive nursing diagnosis, collaborating with patients to set goals, and implementing targeted interventions to mitigate the condition's impact and improve patient well-being.Comprehensive AssessmentThe initial step in nursing care for hypertension involves a thorough patient assessment. It includes evaluating symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, and previous hypertension episodes.