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Health literacy is an important construct in health care that affects patient outcomes and overall health. The impact of limited health literacy in cancer care is wide, and it can affect patients' ability to make treatment decisions, follow directions on a prescription label, or adhere to neutropenic precautions. This article describes strategies and tools for nurses to use when developing written patient education resources in their daily practice.
At a Glance
Health literacy refers not only to the skills and abilities of patients, but also of those providing health education and care, including nurses.
Oncology nurses play an important role in patient education and can reduce the negative impact of limited health literacy by assessing patients for learning barriers, providing verbal teaching, and evaluating comprehension.
Nurses must have the skills to apply health literacy principles to written patient education resources.
Key words: health literacy; patient education; health communication
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1188/16.CJON.433-436
Health literacy, or "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions," is a relatively new construct in the healthcare field; however, its impact on health is undeniable (Nielsen-Bohlman, Panzer, & Kindig, 2004, p. 4). Although this definition focuses on the ability of the patient, health literacy also depends on the skills, preferences, and expectations of those providing health education and services (Nielsen-Bohlman et al., 2004).
Advances in cancer therapies and the trend toward shared decision making have resulted in wider acceptance of health literacy as a valued component of patient-centered care. Patients with cancer face steep learning curves throughout the care continuum. They must learn about a new disease, complex treatment options, and self-care strategies. Effective communication about risks, benefits, and prognosis is essential to ensure that patients make informed treatment decisions.
Limited health literacy poses a significant challenge in the United States. More than 90 million people have limited health literacy skills, which means they have difficulty with common health tasks, such as following directions on prescription labels (Kutner, Greenberg, Jin, & Paulsen, 2006; Nielsen-Bohlman et al., 2004). The prevalence of limited health literacy is higher among older adults, ethnic minorities, individuals with lower education levels, and those with chronic diseases (Kutner et al., 2006)....