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Listenability as a tool for advancing health literacy
1Center for Health and Risk Communication, The University of Georgia, Coverdell Center, Suite 107, Athens, GA 30602, USA. drubin@uga.edu
Journal of Health Communication
|October 4, 2012
Summary
Improving health communication requires focusing on listenability, not just readability. Enhanced listenability in health materials, like discharge instructions, improves patient comprehension across different communication methods.
Area of Science:
- Health Communication
- Health Literacy Research
Background:
- Traditional health literacy research prioritizes written document readability.
- Oral communication is crucial for health decision-making but often overlooked.
- Readability-focused approaches can hinder patient-centered communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the concept of listenability and a style guide for oral health communication.
- To evaluate the impact of listenability on comprehension of postsurgical discharge instructions.
Main Methods:
- Developed a Listenability Style Guide for oral discourse.
- Compared comprehension of high vs. moderate listenability discharge instructions.
- Tested comprehension via both auditory and reading modalities.
Main Results:
- Higher comprehension was observed when reading compared to listening.
- Materials with high listenability were easiest to comprehend across both modalities.
- The Listenability Style Guide demonstrated applicability in a practical setting.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing listenability is vital for effective health communication.
- Integrating listenability aligns with broader health literacy goals and national action plans.
- Focusing on listenability can improve patient understanding and health outcomes.
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