IPE Midterm

Definition of an Empty Stomach

X amount of hours after your last meal

Health literacy involves a patents ability to:

• read health information

• understand prose (lamguage)

• interpret documents

• comunicate in writting

• use numeracy (dosing)

Literacy impacts

• persons access to information

• ability to understand meaning

• ability to navigate highly literate environments of modern society

individual and systemic factors that impact health literacy

• communication skills

• knowledge on health topics

• culture and language

• demands of heath care systems

• demands of the situation or context

teach back technique

a way of communicating with patients keeping health literacy in mind to confirm that the patient is understanding the information they are receiving

oral health literacy

the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make oral health decisions.

What do you need to be health literate?

1. Visually literate: understand graphs or other visual information.

2. Computer literate: operate a computer

3. Information: able to obtain and apply relevant information

4. Numerically or Computationally: able to calculate or reason numerically

Outcomes Associated with Limited Health Literacy

• poor self-reported health

• worse management of chronic conditions

• lower use of preventative and screening services

• greater reliance on emergency and acute care

• more treatment of advanced disease and complications

• higher healthcare costs

Behaviors that may indicate limited health literacy

• frequently miss appointments or arrive unprepared

• incomplete of inaccurately complete forms

• say they understand, but are unable to explain instructions

• avoid reading materials

• rely on family members

• have difficulty explaining their medical history

• Ask few or no questions

• Appear anxious or embarrassed or withdrawn

• Fail to follow home-care, medication or post-operative instruction

• Use emergency services instead of preventative or routine care

How to evaluate a patients health literacy before, during, and after treatment

before: use surveys or interviews to assess baseline knowledge

during: monitor engagement through questions or interactive tools

after: gather feedback through follow-up surveys or focus groups to ensure comprehension