Hi Everyone,

We have talked briefly about the Health Literacy data from the National
Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), and we will schedule some
discussions with guest experts in February of next year. However, I
would like to start exploring some of the most striking findings
informally in the meantime.

One of the most striking inequities in health literacy scores were
between some of the different racial groups, especially Hispanics. Forty
one percent of Hispanics scored in the below basic category, and 25% in
the basic category. This amounts to 66% of Hispanics with marginal
(inadequate) health literacy skills. Whites, by comparison, scored as
follows: 9% below basic and 19% basic, totalling 28% with marginal
skills.

The scores also implied that Blacks and American Indian/Alaska Natives
have significantly poorer health literacy than do Whites and
Asian/Pacific Islanders, although both of those groups had better scores
than Hispanics. 

See the report below for a full description. Look at Figures 2-4 and 2-5
on page 11 of the report. (It corresponds to page 27 of the PDF
document.)

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006483

Why are these differences so pronounced? Why do Hispanics have lower
scores than Asians, who are also not primary English speakers? Does this
have more to do with literacy itself, or do cultural health practices
play a role?

Please comment! I would especially like to hear from those who work
specifically with these minority groups in relation to health and/or
literacy education.

All the best,
Julie



Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org
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