...Problem Statement Health literacy refers to a person’s ability to read and understand basic health care information so they are able to make informed decisions related to their treatment and care. Unfortunately, the Medicare population (comprised generally of those aged 65 and over) displays a large percentage of patients that are at or below the basic level of health literacy knowledge (see Appendix A for information regarding health literacy level by age for adult patients) making understanding complex prescription dosing regimens difficult and confusing. Low health literacy results in the inability of Medicare patients to understand their physicians’ instructions, especially for patients that are prescribed more than one medication. “Although...
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...Health literacy is defined as "how well an individual can read, interpret, and comprehend health information for maintaining an optimal level of wellness (Bastable, 2011, p. 231). It is important for health educator to provide information that can be understood by the population. Patients need to have a good understanding of their disease process and how to take their medications. Being able to follow instructions can speed up recovery and even save their lives. For this post, this author will be analyzing this website http://www.mayoclinic.org/. Nowadays, a lot of people uses the internet to learn and search for information about everything and especially about their health (Mano, 2015, p. 2489). http://www.maoclinic.org is one of the popular websites that can help find information about a disease process....
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...Health Literacy in the Physician Practice By: Pauline Jakubiec, M.S., CPHRM Risk Management Consultant |Risk Advisory Solutions Health literacy is an important consideration according to the National Assessment for Adult Literacy when only 12% of adults are competent in health literacy. Nearly 9 out of 10 adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease. 14% of adults (30 million people) have below basic health literacy. 42% of these adults were more likely to report their health as poor. 28% were more likely to lack health insurance which now places them in the system (and in the office) than adults with proficient health literacy (Adult Literacy in America: A First Look at the Results of the National Adult...
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...Health Promotions among Diverse Populations America has a population of wide diversity of racial or ethnic minorities. “According to the 2010 U.S. Census, approximately 36.3 percent of the population currently belongs to a racial or ethnic minority group: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC].) The narrative of this paper will take a closer look at the health of Hispanics or Latino population. The topics addressed will be the health status of Hispanics or Latino, Barriers to health and influencing factors, disparities that exits, and a health promotion approach. The Hispanic or Latino group is by “The OMB definition of Hispanic or Latino origin refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.” (Edelman, 2014). Hispanic/Latino make up for being one of the largest ethnic minority and quickly growing in the US. Poverty and lack of education or some crucial factors that affect the ability to provide health promotion within this culture. In 2009 the poverty rate for Hispanics increased to 25.3%, from 2008 which was at 23.2%, (Edelman, 2014). Poverty can cause poor health. Poverty can result in depression, high stress which can affect a person’s long term health. Lack of money decrease a diet of nutrition and healthy food...
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...self-reported health literacy: a health socialization perspective. Health Education Research , 26 (1), 131-149. The program was implemented by faculty from the Departments of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing, at Michigan State University and University of Georgia. The survey was conducted among seventh-grade students in three rural and urban public school districts in Georgia: Clayton (urban), Worth (rural) and Sylvester (rural). This was an IRB approved study, that required obtained parental consent prior to enrolling the adolescent subject in the study. The purpose of this study was to examine the social aspect of health literacy education, particularly in the young adult population. The authors proposed a health socialization model to increase the exposure of the adolescent population to health literacy. They define health literacy as, “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” One of the three hypotheses presented in the paper focuses on the comparison of interpersonal socialization to media effects on health literacy, suggesting that interpersonal effects can exceed those of media on the teens in the target population. The study was designed to collect data through a self-reported survey asking questions about the subjects’ perceived health and access to health information...
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.... Health Promotion Pamphlet Critique Health Promotion Pamphlet Critique The function of a health promotion brochure is to present information to the community on different topics with the intention of improving the health and well-being of individuals through the implementation of health education. In order for a brochure to be effective, the message must be clear, precise, and totally understood by the individual. Some health promoting brochures can provide incentives to maintaining wellness promoting behaviors. Brochures outlining strategies for preventing diseases such as diabetes can provide information to attain a stable lifestyle. The information however, has to be properly presented to get those results. According to Jamison (2004) implementation of even one healthy behavior can have an ubiquitous health benefit, it is therefore suggested that suitably formulated health information brochures inform and encourage the adoption of healthy behaviors (p 262). The title of the brochure is Diabetes and it is meant to educate those who want to learn more about the disease. Source and Topic Diabetes is a major problem in the Unite States. The total prevalence of diabetes in the Unite States, all ages is 18.2 million people which accounts for 6.3% of the population that has diabetes. Of this only 13.0 million has been diagnosis and 5.2 million undiagnosed cases (Center for Disease Control). Diabetes shortens life expectancy by about...
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...good health practices (Minkler, 1999). In 1979, the U.S. Surgeon G eneral (1979) published H ealthy People , the first set of objectives for the nation to promote health and prevent diseases. Within this report, President Jimmy Cart er wrote, “ Government, business, labor, schools and health professionals must all contribute to the prevention of injury and disease. And all of these efforts must ultimately rely on the individual decision of millions of Americans --- decisions to protect and promote their own good health ” (p.5). Since the ability to think and act freely are particularly important to Americans, the logical approach to promoting healthy behavior change is to promote individual responsibility (Minkler, 1999). Historically , the ideology of individual responsib ilit y has been the driving force behind health promotion within the United States and has influenced the professional practice of nurses (Morgan & Marsh, 1998; Rush, 1997). This may mean that many nurses view themselv es as providing health promotion by presenting health education to individuals. Health education is a component of health promotion and for many is considered to be health promotion; however h ealth education differs from health promotion as it is specifi cally geared towards individual learning. Health education “ comprises consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some form of communication designed to improve health literacy, including...
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...As Americans, one may say that our biggest fear is the doctor’s office and the health care system. This is an appropriate statement due to the fact that a majority of Americans are health illiterate. So, what does it mean to be health literate? Health.gov definition on health literacy is as follows: Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions (1). The To give a perspective of how health illiterate Americans are almost nine out of ten Americans are considered to have Intermediate, Basic, or Below Basic health literacy (2). Why is this number so high? Is it because health information that is provided...
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...HEALTH LITERACY, PERCEIVED MEDICATION BENEFITS, MEDICATION ADHERENCE AND HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES ATTENDING PRIMARY CARE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF IKENNE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGERIA INTRODUCTION Background and Scope of the Study The main aim of any attempted remediation of a health problem of patients in a health system is to achieve certain desired health outcomes in the patient. These desired outcomes however might not be realizable if the patients are not strictly following prescribed treatment even when the health care professionals have performed their part effectively. The synergy of the relationship between low literacy, patient decision - making, and compliance with prescribed medication use makes it quite difficult to achieve the desired outcomes in medical therapy (Nutbeam, 2008, Atulomah et al, 2010) of overall increase in health status. Health literacy is defined as the capacity of individuals to obtain, interpret and understand basic health information and services, as well as the competence and motivation to use such information and services in ways that enhance their health (Institute of Medicine, 2004) Several studies have been have been conducted to evaluate peoples level of literacy and adherence to medication. Health literacy rates in developed countries have been conducted in the United States (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Australia, and Canada to evaluate the rate of health literacy...
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...Nurse Practitioner As a nurse practitioner, assessing a client’s health literacy, culture and language would be my first step in dealing with clients with poor adherence to care regimens. Providing patient forms and educational materials that are appropriate from cultural, linguistic, and literacy standpoints (Singleton 2009), or providing, if necessary an interpreter, would ensure along with return demonstration that the client can adhere to care regimens. I could make a difference in the APN’s role compared to my present role in professional nursing by enabling me to diagnose, manage, treat and deliver primary care equal to physician-provided care, but in a more cost-effective manner. Nurse Practitioners provide a more holistic approach to health care as opposed to expensive acute care settings, prescribe less and order less diagnostic tests Numerous studies have shown that the cost of services provided by nurse practitioners is generally less than the cost of the same services provided by a physician (Bauer 2010). Having further education and an advanced practice background would allow me more autonomy. I could offer a broad range of services (exams, ordering labs, writing scripts, etc...) and have options to work in a variety of healthcare settings (Peds, ER, clinics, etc...). Having an advanced practice background would also give me an opportunity to offer education and counseling to those who poorly adhere to care regimens, fail to keep appointments and follow up visits...
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...The cultural demographic groups that are most impacting the low literacy levels in healthcare are those individuals that are of Hispanic or Latin origin. This selective patient population consists of individuals that are from Mexico, South and Central America, Cuba and Puerto Rico. Therefore, these cultural characteristics are represented by their language, customs, and elements from their common ancestry (Caballerro, 2011). Moreover, many of these individuals stem from low-income families where adequate educational resources are often scarce and insufficient. This deficiency regarding receiving a proper education is reflected in the overall low literacy levels, as well as the excessively poor degree of health literacy that exists. Furthermore, the condition of poor health literacy not only affects the individuals domestic health status and their hospitalization experience, it creates and places an economic burden on select communities, as well as future...
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...Low health literacy of patients leads to more hospitalizations, higher frequentingcy of emergency room visits, more false receipts of drugs/ prescriptions or less adherence and less use of screening (e.g. mammography) and preventions (e.g. influenza vaccination). This eventually results in an overall poorer general health status, as well as greater barriers to the use of adequate medical care. On the other hand, leads a greater involvement of patients in decision-making practice in health care to higher treatment satisfaction, improved adherence, less decision conflicts, improved health behaviors and a better global health status. In conclusion, due to better health literacy, a higher therapeutic safety and a decrease in unnecessary and medical...
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...understand the medical professionals and could not follow through with your own treatment. Many of the hospitals in our area feel that by providing an interpreter there will always be clear communication between the staff and patients. This is not so. We deal with many different cultures on a daily basis and are hard to communicate effectively. The words we use can mean something different to patients of other cultures and as nurses we need to remember this ("Cultural barriers to effective communication", 2010). The potential for misunderstandings increases when the languages are different, and translation has to be used to communicate ("Cultural barriers to effective communication", 2010). There have been many times when non health care...
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...Health Care Communication Methods Tara L. Black HCS-320 June 9, 2014 Robin Rompre Health Care Communication Methods This notice is part of an information package I, as the administrator of the Shady Pines Nursing Home, will be sending out to both the staff here at the center and to the administrative staff of the Rolling Hills Corporation. This information will help facilitate the transfer of those residents here at Shady Pines that no longer fall under the prevue of the new corporate guidelines. As some of the residents have communication issues or have no local family support, we as their caregivers need to ensure that all methods of communication are utilized to ensure a smooth relocation situation. Some of these methods will include the more traditional types, such as letters or phone calls to the guardians of those affected by the relocation (Du Pré, 2005). Other methods available for our use will be electronic in nature. One type of electronic communication is email (Du Pré, 2005). Social media communication types, such as texts to the guardians, will be used when all other types of communication has failed. Each of these types of communication will also be used within the Shady Pines facility, to keep all staff updated on any changes that indubitably occur and to help ease the transition as well. Communication between the staff at Shady Pines and Rolling Hills is vital also, so that any conflicts can be handled efficiently. As I mentioned...
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...Health Literacy Ice cream Label Assessment Ebony Williams Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University HE 101 Personal and Community Health Dr. Sarah Toth Spring 2016 Health Literacy Many people across the country suffer from poor health literacy. According to Ihealth “Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” Mainly health literacy is understanding, correctly reading, and acting to health instructions from either personal doctors or simply reading the calories of an ice carton. Having the correct health literacy is important and a very serious matter for citizens with poor health literacy and immigrants. Having poor health literacy can result to poor health choices and misunderstanding of medication from Doctors. People have fallen ill from having incorrect health literacy. It is important to have correct health literacy to understand doctors and medication instructions. Also, it helps to be able to handle health situations and to live a healthier lifestyle without depending on others to assist you. “The population who are at the most risk is the poor, elderly, and those with little education.”(Ihealth Chapter 1) My volunteer who took the health literacy assessment is a young male adult. Age is eighteen, race is African American...
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