I study health literacy and teach it  --- but I never personally felt what
it must be like to be 'illiterate' until yesterday when I tried to read a
computer manual. I can only assume the parallels with health literacy must
be similar. Way too many assumptions were made by the authors of the
computer manual for it to have much meaning for me.. And like much of the
written materials we give to our patients to 'go home and read - it explains
everything'  there was no one I could ask questions of - no one I felt had
the time or patience for my stupid inquiries, so I just muddle through and
hope for the best.

 

Literacy issues are not confined to health care --- I have a feeling it is
epidemic and contagious. English may be but one language that we speak with
many, very foreign words.

 

Barbara Duffy

 

  _____  

From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kutner, Mark
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 12:06 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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