Developing Health Literacy Communication Practices for Medical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Communication
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Health literacy is crucial for patient-centered care and recommended for health professional training.
• Limited literature exists on effective methods for teaching health literacy to medical professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a health literacy curriculum for medical students.
• To assess the impact of a skills-based workshop on students' understanding and application of health literacy communication techniques.

Main Methods:

• A two-part curriculum was implemented, including an introductory session and a skill-building workshop.
• Second-year medical students (approx. 100) practiced teach-back, avoiding jargon, and effective questioning.
• Pre/post surveys were analyzed using a Wilcoxon rank sum test.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in students' conviction of the importance of health literacy techniques was observed.
• Students reported significantly higher confidence in their ability to use teach-back, avoid jargon, and ask effective questions.
• The skills-based workshop demonstrated a positive impact on students' preparedness.

Conclusions:

• A skills-based health literacy workshop effectively enhances medical students' conviction and confidence.
• This training approach can improve health communication practices in future healthcare providers.
• Implementing such workshops is vital for advancing patient-centered care through improved health literacy.