Hi Julie and everyone,

Since you brought up the NAAL, I am wondering where I can gain access to the
state by state data on Health Literacy.  Does anyone know where I can get my
hands on this?  I am in Kentucky and have made a couple of attempts to find out
about the health literacy facts and stats (ex. emailed someone in the Kentucky
Dept. of Ed.).

One concern I have when looking at the SAAL is that it seems that the 'other'
parts of Kentucky are artificially inflating what is a very HIGH likelihood
that individuals living in Eastern Kentucky (most of which is considered
Appalachia) have poor reading skills.  If the inferences fit, these same
individuals probably basic or below basic health literacy skills.  Also, is
there anyway to find a county by county breakdown for the SAAL?

If anyone out there can help me with these questions/issues I would be much
obliged.

Ann


Quoting Julie McKinney <julie_mcKinney at worlded.org>:


> 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

> 



Ann Rathbun, Ph.D.
Department of HPES
200G Laughlin Health Bld.
Morehead State University
606-783-2464
www.arathbunblog.blogspot.com

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