Health Literacy: Learning to respond effectively

Authors and presenters*

• Marie-Louise Bird School of Health Sciences, CoHM

• Derek Choi-Lundberg, School of Medicine, CoHM

• Tracy Douglas, School of Health Sciences, CoHM

• Shandell Elmer, School of Nursing, CoHM

• Melanie Eslick, School of Nursing, CoHM

• Romany Martin, School of Health Sciences, CoHM *

• Carey Mather, School of Nursing, CoHM

• Rosie Nash, School of Medicine, CoHM

• Jonathon Sward, School of Paramedicine, CoHM

• Laura Triffett, School of Paramedicine, CoHM *

• Karen Watkins, School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, CoHM

Abstract

Individual and organisational health literacy are evolving concepts; however, there is still significant work required to understand how health professionals within health systems can optimally respond to the health literacy diversity of healthcare users. Higher education institutions and academics must support health professionals to develop their repertoire of practice skills to respond to individuals’ health literacy needs.

The College of Health and Medicine Health Literacy Group undertook an international scoping review to understand ways in which health professionals are trained to respond to healthcare users’ health literacy diversity. The review describes characteristics of undergraduate and postgraduate educational activities undertaken internationally to prepare people who are training to be health professionals, as well as continuing professional development.

Seventy-nine studies describing educational activities were identified in this review: describing more than 30 different elements of health literacy responsiveness. The most frequent elements included clear communication (76%), avoiding jargon (63%), information provision (48%) and use of diagrams, images or models (41%) with healthcare users. Teach-back (65%) and assessment of healthcare users’ health literacy (39%) were also highly reported interactional elements. Many of the educational activities were provided face-to-face, with a small number delivered online or in blended formats. Most educational activities were undertaken as part of continuing professional development, with one-quarter delivered to undergraduate or postgraduate students.

This presentation will outline the manner in which the literature reports on the training of health literacy responsiveness, and how health professional educators can approach health literacy responsiveness training. From the data, it is apparent that the preparation of health professionals to be health literacy responsive needs to be facilitated across the career continuum: focusing on clear communication to respond and support health literacy needs of healthcare users.