[NIFL-HEALTH:4428] New Report on Health Literacy

From: Debbie Yoho (dwyoho@earthlink.net)
Date: Thu Jun 03 2004 - 20:53:02 EDT


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Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:4428] New Report on Health Literacy
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Posted by the moderator at the request of Sue Stableford:


Dr. Rima Rudd at Harvard has recently authored a great new report on health
literacy, published by Educational Testing Service.
The report can be accessed on line at:
www.ets.org/research/pic/literacy&health.pdf. 
 
The report is a synthesis of performance results for the 191 health-related
questions on the 1992 NALS linked to the NALS database. The result is a new
scale, the HALS (Health Activities Literacy Scale). The HALS directly
reflects the health literacy skills of various population groups and
sub-groups within the 3 domains measured by the NALS: prose, document, and
quantitative. The 5 task/result levels of the HALS also correspond to those
in the NALS. The methodology is clearly explained in the report, providing
context for understanding results. 
 
This report is important in linking the use of literacy skills to the
health context in which they are applied, way beyond just medical
interventions. And it's important in reinforcing and extending the evidence
that those with limited literacy skills also have limited health literacy
skills.

Debbie Yoho
Moderator, NIFL-Health Listserv
Past-president, SC Adult Literacy Educators
Director, Greater Columbia Literacy Council
2728 Devine Street     Columbia, SC  29204
dwyoho@earthlink.net    803-765-2555



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