Hello Dr. Kutner,
Thanks for your hard work along with the other folks in developing the NAAL and shepherding it to its current state.
With regard to your first question I am very interested in what your take is on the difference between general literacy and health literacy given the results of the NAAL itself. My understanding is the results on the two scales are highly correlated which is consistent with my long standing skepticism that there is a measurable difference between the two at least as can be identified by the instruments that have been used thus far. Do you think there is evidence from the NAAL that there are distinct domains between general literacy and health literacy? 
Thanks,
Ian Bennett

 
________________________________

From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kutner, Mark
Sent: Mon 9/17/2007 12:05 PM
To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1198] (no subject)


Good morning all.  Cynthia Baur and I are very much looking forward to answering any questions or issues that you might have related to the health literacy component and report of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL).  Just as way of introduction, from 1999 through last December I was the project director for the design, analysis, and reporting component of NAAL.  In that role, I worked with Cynthia in developing the health literacy component of NAAL.  The health literacy items also had to be prose, document, and quantitative items so that they could also be placed on the NAAL scale.  The health literacy items were field tested before being included on the national study.  As we discuss the health literacy component, it is important to remember that the NAAL was administered in the homes of individuals, not in a doctor's office or emergency room.
 
In case folks are shy, I want to pose a couple of questions to all of you: 
 
1. As an individual who has been involved in adult literacy and assessment for almost 20 years, I am curious to hear you perspectives about the difference between measuring literacy and health literacy, especially when the definition of health literacy (which we used from HHS) does not indicate any prior substantive knowledge of health-related issues (such as I take aspirin for headaches).  
 
2. Also, NAAL highlights the challenges of improving health literacy for adults whose first language is not English.  What evidence do we have about successful approaches to ensure that the health literacy for these adults improves?
 
 
As we begin these discussions, I want to clearly acknowledge that there would never have been a health literacy component of NAAL if it was not for the hard work, perseverance,  stubbornness of Cynthia Baur. For me, working with Cynthia on the health literacy component has been a real joy.  The field is quite fortunate to be able to benefit from her leadership!.



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