The Effect of Health Literacy on Medication Knowledge and Medication Discrepancy in Chinese Americans

Background. Functional health literacy (FHL) is increasingly recognized as a useful predictor of health outcomes in different populations. However, the effect of FHL on medication knowledge and medication discrepancy in Chinese Americans is not well defined. Objectives. To examine the effects of FHL on medication knowledge and medication discrepancy in Chinese American patients. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at an academic internal medicine clinic. The Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults was used to assess participants' FHL. Data for patients' demographic information, medication knowledge, and medication discrepancy (direction discrepancy and name discrepancy) were collected through patient interviews and chart reviews. The primary outcome was medication knowledge of purpose and the secondary outcomes included medication direction discrepancy and medication name discrepancy. Results. Of the 158 Chinese American patients who participated in the study, 54% had adequate FHL. More participants with adequate FHL had correct medication knowledge compared to participants with inadequate FHL (87% vs 56%, respectively, odds ratio = 3.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-9.7). Fewer participants with adequate FHL had medication direction discrepancy compared to those with inadequate FHL (42% vs 62%, odds ratio = 0.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.06-0.55). Both adequate and inadequate FHL groups had high prevalence of medication name discrepancy (77% vs 89%) even though the between-group difference was insignificant. Conclusions. Adequate FHL among Chinese American patients is significantly associated with increased medication knowledge of purpose and decreased medication direction discrepancy. Both adequate and inadequate FHL groups had high prevalence of medication name discrepancy.