HEALTH LITERACY

Joel VeddersFerris State UniversityHEALTH LITERACY

Define health literacyIdentify legislation that addresses health literacyDiscuss legislations impact on health careList key stakeholders Describe political strategies which support issues related to health literacyOBJECTIVES

Health literacy is defined as a persons ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information needed to make health care decisions that are appropriate for them (Koh, et al., 2012).HEALTH LITERACY DEFINITION

Ability to readNumeracyWritingSpeaking Listening (hear and comprehend)

FIVE AREAS INVOLVED IN HEALTH LITERACY

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)Section 3506: Addresses shared decision makingSection 3507: Seeks to make prescription drug labeling more consumer friendlySection 5301: Awards grants to medical specialties who provide enhanced training to their staff in health literacy

KEY LEGISLATION

Plain Writing Act of 2010Requires all federal agencies to improve readability of agency websites, all health related materials, employee training and processes to ensure compliance.

ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION

Access: increased access to health care through the ACA has created a need to address health literacy.

Quality: the ACA and Plain Writing Act will have a positive effect on quality of care

Cost: improving health literacy will lessen the financial strain on the health care systemIMPLICATIONS OF LEGISLATION

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)Colleges and UniversitiesHealth Care InstitutionsNursesPatientsKEY STAKEHOLDERS

Formation of an advisory councilFree educational seminarsWriting letters to local and state representativesOmitting the key stakeholdersLack of funding

POLITICAL STRATEGIES/POTENTIAL CHALLENGES

Defined health literacy and its key elementsDiscussed legislation and its implicationsIdentified key stakeholdersExplained strategies that promote but also challenge health literacySUMMARY

Koh, H. K., Berwick, D. M., Clancy, C. M., Baur, C., Brach, C., Harris, L. M., & Zerhusan, E. G. (2012, February). New federal policy initiatives to boost health literacy can help the nation move beyond the cycle of costly crisis care. Health Affairs, 31(2), 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1169Kovner, A. R., & Knickman, J. R. (2011). The current U.S. health care system. In A. R. Kovner, & J. R. Knickman (Eds.), Health care delivery in the United States (10th ed. (pp. 3-8). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.Martin, L. T., & Parker, R. M. (2011, August). Insurance expansion and health literacy. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 306(8), 874-875. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2011.1212Plain Writing Act, 111-274 USC 3 (United States Government Printing Office 2010).Safeer, R. S., & Keenan, J. (2005, August, 1). Health literacy: the gap between physicians and patients. American Family Physician, 72(3), 463-468. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16100861Smith, J. A., & Zsohar, H. (2011, January/February). Teaching health literacy in the undergraduate curriculum: beyond traditional methods. Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(1), 48-50. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21473484

REFERENCESSomers, S. A., & Mahadevan, R. (2010). Health literacy implications of the Affordable Care Act [Report]. Retrieved from Center for Health Care Strategies website: http://www.chcs.org/usr_doc/Health_Literacy_Implications_of_the_Affordable_Care_Act.pdfSperos, C. I. (2011). Promoting health literacy: a nursing imperative. The Nursing Clinics of North America, 46(3), 321-333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2011.05.007The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 111-148 USC 3506 (United States Government Printing Office 2010).The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 111-148 USC 3507 (United States Government Printing Office 2010).The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 111-148 USC 5301 (United States Government Printing Office 2010).Thomas, M. B., Dickinson, J., & Willis, F. (Eds.). (2011). Why arent patients in compliance? Top issue may be misunderstanding [Entire issue]. Case Management Advisor, 22(5). Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-255552189.html

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