Well said, Andres.
 
José Luis Calderón, MD
Drew University Center for Cross-cultural Epidemiologic Studies 
Biomedical Research Center & Center for Health Services Research

The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science 
2594 Industry Way
Lynwood, CA 90262
Voice 310 761 4729 
Fax  310 631-1495




 


----- Original Message ----
From: "Muro, Andres" <amuro5 at epcc.edu>
To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List <healthliteracy at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 10:50:24 AM
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1216] Re: (no subject)




 
 

 


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Here is a little anecdote that I always
share when I do health literacy workshops. 
 

  
 

I often travel to DC with colleagues to do
workshops, attend conferences, etc. Most of my colleagues have post graduate
degrees. In other words, we are on top of the food chain when it comes to
educational achievement. Upon descending from the plane we head to the subway
station were I always perform my “anthropological” observation of
contextual literacy practices. Many of my colleagues go into a panic when they
have to interact with the ticket purchasing and dispensing machine. They don’t
want to stand out. They don’t want to hold the line and they don’t
want to be left behind. In fact, it is common for people traveling alone to get
the much more expensive and inconvenient taxis to avoid the “unfamiliar”
literacy encounter. 
 

  
 

Fortunately, subway stations have a person
that helps travelers interact with these machines and explain maps and routes. In
fact, these helpers prefer to give oral directions to passengers rather than just
refer them to the written instructions. See, while I doubt that any of them
studied anthropology, they have figured out that we are still basically an oral
society when it comes to getting directions. Even the most literate people
prefer oral instructions when it comes to encounters with new forms of
literacy. Once they master the context, then they perform fine within the print
realm.   
 

  
 

We don’t have to go to DC to
experience this. Airplane tickets are now dispensed by machines. Most grocery
stores have electronic cash registers. While most of us are proficient with
these and realize that they require basic literacy skills to operate, we can
probably remember our first encounters with this type of technology. Businesses,
like subway helpers know that we are still an oral society and always have a
person ready to verbally assist shoppers navigate these literacy environments. Unfortunately,
the much more sophisticated medical establishment is catching on a little too
late. At Walmart the airport and the subway station, if you hesitate with the
literacy task, an aid shows up to assist you. Or, you have the option to go
through the human cash register. 
 

  
 

If we, highly educated people have
difficulty getting a subway ticket, and reading a subway map, you can imagine
what a less educated person must feel when they have to navigate through
insurance documents, patient intake forms, medication information, etc. 
 

  
 

Andres
 










From:
healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Barbara Duffy

Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007
7:36 PM

To: ' The
 Health and Literacy Discussion List '

Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1206] Re:
(no subject)
 




  
 

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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