Patient-Centered Education to Increase Health Literacy

Bhattad, P. B., & Pacifico, L. (2022). Empowering patients: Promoting patient education and health literacy. Curēus, 14(7). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.27336

           Bhattad and Pacifico (2022) emphasize the importance of effective patient education and health literacy in improving patient care. Patients are eager to understand their medical conditions. Therefore, providing them with current, consistent, and concise information significantly aids in their medical care and decision-making. The study reviewed various patient education materials and compared their effectiveness in conveying information. The authors advocate for healthcare providers (HCPs) to use uniform methods for patient education, integrating these materials into electronic health record systems and utilizing patient portals for efficient education. The study suggests that personalized patient education handouts, combined with verbal instructions from HCPs, enhance patient care by promoting shared decision-making and increasing patient satisfaction and health literacy. Strategies were developed to streamline the process of selecting appropriate educational materials; reducing the time needed for HCPs to find and provide these resources.

Gibson, C., Smith, D., & Morrison, A. K. (2022). Improving Health Literacy Knowledge, Behaviors, and Confidence with Interactive Training. Health Literacy Research and Practice, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.3928/24748307-20220420-01

            Gibson, Smith, and Morrison (2022) explore how interactive health literacy training can enhance the knowledge, behaviors, and confidence of primary care staff. Recognizing that limited health literacy negatively impacts health outcomes, the study aimed to integrate health literacy into primary care settings; particularly in patient-centered medical homes. The training intervention included an online module, in-person activities, and a sustainability plan. Over 475 primary care staff from 25 clinics participated in the training, which was evaluated using pre- and post-training surveys. These surveys measured health literacy knowledge, behaviors, and confidence levels. The results showed significant improvements in all three areas after the training. Sustainment activities, such as lunch and learn sessions and reinforcement by clinic leaders, were employed to ensure the continued use of health literacy strategies. The study highlighted common barriers and facilitators to implementing these strategies, emphasizing the importance of addressing these factors for successful and sustainable practice change. The researchers concluded that effective health literacy training should be carefully designed to be efficient and sustainable. Integrating health literacy strategies with organizational goals and initiatives further reinforced the practice changes. In summary, the interactive training improved primary care staff's ability to provide health education and information, thereby enhancing patient-centered care and health literacy among patients and families.

Røe, Y., Torbjørnsen, A., Stanghelle, B., Helseth, S., & Riiser, K. (2022). Health Literacy in Higher Education: A Systematic Scoping Review of Educational Approaches. Pedagogy in Health Promotion, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/23733799231191107

            Røe et al. (2022) examined educational approaches to health literacy within higher education, aiming to understand the content covered and learning activities employed. Health literacy encompasses an individual's cognitive, technological, and social skills that influence their ability to acquire, understand, evaluate, and use health information effectively. The review highlighted that health literacy is vital for promoting health, well-being, and sustainable development. The authors found that educational approaches to health literacy in higher education are primarily focused on enabling individuals to make informed health decisions by improving their skills in finding, understanding, and using health information and services. Despite the emphasis on individual skills, recent research highlights the importance of both individual and population-level efforts to improve health literacy. Several reviews noted in the study suggest that health literacy education is essential across health professions, including nursing. Overall, the review calls for more research to determine effective teaching methods and core competencies needed to address health literacy effectively in higher education. It highlights the importance of integrating health literacy education into curricula across disciplines to prepare future professionals to meet the health literacy needs of diverse populations effectively.