Filling out the forms: Health literacy among the uninsured

Area of Science:

• Health Literacy
• Patient Education
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Health literacy is crucial for patient understanding and adherence.
• Previous research indicates challenges in health information comprehension.
• Free clinics serve diverse patient populations with unique needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess health literacy levels among patients at a Syracuse free clinic.
• To identify specific challenges faced by patients in understanding health information.
• To explore provider perspectives on patient health literacy.

Main Methods:

• Chart reviews of 600 patients.
• Qualitative interviews with 22 patients.
• Qualitative interviews with 7 healthcare providers.

Main Results:

• Most patients had high school education or higher and no reading comprehension issues.
• A majority of patients experienced difficulty comprehending and acting on health information.
• Completing entitlement program forms posed significant challenges for many patients.

Conclusions:

• Low health literacy can affect well-educated individuals.
• Health literacy challenges extend beyond basic reading comprehension.
• Universal health literacy assessment is recommended for all patients.