Medical Literacy, Teaching, and Learning Styles

PTAS Admin 103

teaching and learning

teaching; domains of learning; learning styles

teaching

patient education is a critical form of intervention; must assess client’s abilities, learning style, and barriers to learning; must adapt to client’s needs; general guidelines; verify understanding (have client demonstrate)

general guidelines- teaching

communicate clearly and simply- explain terminology/new words; use a variety of methods (speaking writing, videos, good web resources, handouts, etc.); make sure environment is conducive to learning; make education practical and useful

make education practical and useful

connect to client’s past experiences when possible; make learner an active participant

domains of learning

affective domain; cognitive domain; psychomotor domain

active domain

attitudes, values, emotions

cognitive domain

knowledge and understanding

psychomotor domain

physical action and motor skill

learning styles

everyone uses a mixture of learning styles, but one may be dominant; most common; most people tend to use one of their senses more than the others

most common learning styles

visual, auditory, kinesthetic

most people tend to use one of their senses more than the others

people can, and often do, use a mixture of 2 or 3; it is not unusual to use different learning styles for different tasks; there is no “right” mix; can develop ability in less dominant styles, as well as further develop styles you already use well

medical literacy

nearly half of American adults (90 million people) have difficulty understanding and using basic health information; health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic information needed to make appropriate decisions regarding their care

nearly half of American adults (90 million people) have difficulty understanding and using basic health information

higher rates of hospitalization and use of emergency services among people with limited health literacy; leads to billions of dollars in avoidable healthcare costs

health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic information needed to make appropriate decisions regarding their care

includes writing, listening, speaking, arithmetic, and conceptual knowledge; affects more than just those without formal education and lower socioeconomic classes; individuals are increasingly responsible for managing their own healthcare; care providers frequently need to communicate with patients who have different language and cultural backgrounds

individuals are increasingly responsible for managing their own healthcare

client’s health often depends on their ability and willingness to carry out a set of activities needed to manage and treat their disease

care providers frequently need to communicate with patients who have different language and cultural backgrounds

culture and ethnicity may influence patient’s perceptions of health, illness, and the risks and benefits of treatments; different cultural and educational backgrounds between a patient and provider also contribute to problems in the patient’s comprehension