A systematic review of instruments to measure health literacy of patients in emergency departments

1. Improving Care and Promoting Health in Populations: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2025

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, an interprofessional expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Health-literacy, self-efficacy and health-outcomes of patients undergoing haemodialysis: Mediating role of self-management

BACKGROUND

Health literacy, self-efficacy and self-management are known to influence health-related well-being. However, the precise influence of self-management, health literacy and self-efficacy on health outcomes in Asian countries is under-researched.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the impact of health literacy and self-efficacy (independent variables) and self-management (mediator) on patients' health outcomes (dependent variable).

DESIGN

An observational, cross-sectional design was conducted between 1 March 2022 and 31 August 2022.

PARTICIPANTS

Outpatients receiving haemodialysis (n = 200) at a Taiwanese medical centre were assessed.

MEASUREMENTS

The survey included demographic questions and standardised scales: the 3-item Brief Health Literacy Screen, the 8-item Perceived Kidney/Dialysis Self-Management Scale as a measure of self-efficacy, and the 20-item Haemodialyses Self-Management Instrument. Health outcomes were responses on the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 and clinical blood results from the past 3 months.

RESULTS

Participants aged over 60 exhibited common comorbidities, with 34% showing low health literacy. Biochemical markers (e.g., haemoglobin and albumin) significantly correlated with physical and mental health scores. Mediating coefficients revealed that self-management significantly influenced associations between health outcomes, health literacy (β = 0.31; p < 0.01), and self-efficacy (β = 0.19; p < 0.01).

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Self-management can modify the overall influence of health literacy and self-efficacy on patients' quality of physical and emotional health. When managing a chronic condition, 'knowing' how to self-manage does not always result in 'doing so' by the patient. Continuous monitoring and promoting self-management behaviours and support by nurses are crucial to enhance health outcomes.

Public Health Literacy and Emergency Department Utilization in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

Health literacy (HL) is the degree in which individuals are able to access, comprehend, and use publicly available health resources and services. A previous study was done in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) assessing the prevalence of HL, the study shows that almost half of KSA residents had limited HL. Most studies that show the level of HL and its relationship to emergency department (ED) utilization were conducted outside KSA. This study aims to assess the association between HL and utilization of ED services and to estimate the prevalence, factors, and outcomes of low HL in KSA.

Patients and methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 903 participants in KSA over a period of 2 months (April and May 2023) using an online survey. Participants were asked about sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, nationality, marital status, education, work status, income), associated factors (chronic diseases, psychiatric disorders, Covid-19 infection, Covid-19 vaccination, ED visits), and Health Literacy (read, access, understand, evaluation, decision). A health literacy instrument for adults (HELIA), which consists of the previously mentioned five subscales, was used to estimate the level of HL and its association with the risk factors.

Results

Almost 529 (58.58%) and 374 (41.42%) had limited HL and adequate HL, respectively. Participants with limited HL were mostly aged 35-45 years (61.7%), men (p < 0.05) (68.9%), divorced (65.9%), non-Saudi (69.6%), and had elementary level of education (66.7%). Participants with adequate HL had master's and PhD degree (48.1%), were healthcare students or graduates (62.8%, p < 0.05), had an income >30 thousand riyals (55.6%, p < 0.05), were previously infected with COVID-19 (43%), and did not visit ED in the preceding year (42.3%).

Conclusion

A high prevalence of low HL among KSA residents was observed. There was no significant difference in ED utilization between participants who had adequate and limited HL.

Automating risk stratification for geriatric syndromes in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

Geriatric emergency department (GED) guidelines endorse screening older patients for geriatric syndromes in the ED, but there have been significant barriers to widespread implementation. The majority of screening programs require engagement of a clinician, nurse, or social worker, adding to already significant workloads at a time of record-breaking ED patient volumes, staff shortages, and hospital boarding crises. Automated, electronic health record (EHR)-embedded risk stratification approaches may be an alternate solution for extending the reach of the GED mission by directing human actions to a smaller subset of higher risk patients.

METHODS

We define the concept of automated risk stratification and screening using existing EHR data. We discuss progress made in three potential use cases in the ED: falls, cognitive impairment, and end-of-life and palliative care, emphasizing the importance of linking automated screening with systems of healthcare delivery.

RESULTS

Research progress and operational deployment vary by use case, ranging from deployed solutions in falls screening to algorithmic validation in cognitive impairment and end-of-life care.

CONCLUSIONS

Automated risk stratification offers a potential solution to one of the most pressing problems in geriatric emergency care: identifying high-risk populations of older adults most appropriate for specific GED care. Future work is needed to realize the promise of improved care with less provider burden by creating tools suitable for widespread deployment as well as best practices for their implementation and governance.

Assessment Tools for Measuring Health Literacy and Digital Health Literacy in a Hospital Setting: A Scoping Review

Assessment of (digital) health literacy in the hospital can raise staff awareness and facilitate tailored communication, leading to improved health outcomes. Assessment tools should ideally address multiple domains of health literacy, fit to the complex hospital context and have a short administration time, to enable routine assessment. This review aims to create an overview of tools for measuring (digital) health literacy in hospitals. A search in Scopus, PubMed, WoS and CINAHL, following PRISMA guidelines, generated 7252 hits; 251 studies were included in which 44 assessment tools were used. Most tools (57%) were self-reported and 27% reported an administration time of <5 min. Almost all tools addressed the domain 'understanding' (98%), followed by 'access' (52%), 'apply' (50%), 'appraise' (32%), 'numeracy' (18%), and 'digital' (18%). Only four tools were frequently used: the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy for Adults ((S)TOFHLA), the Brief Health Literacy Screener (BHLS), and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). While the NVS and BHLS have a low administration time, they cover only two domains. HLQ covers the most domains: access, understanding, appraise, and apply. None of these four most frequently used tools measured digital skills. This review can guide health professionals in choosing an instrument that is feasible in their daily practice, and measures the required domains.

Defining and identifying laboratory literacy as a component of health literacy: An assessment of existing health literacy tools

Health literacy has been defined and studied as an important component of a patient's ability to understand and obtain appropriate healthcare. However, a laboratory component of health literacy, as it pertains to the understanding of laboratory tests and their results, has not been previously defined. An analysis of readily available health literacy tools was conducted to determine laboratory testing-specific content representation. One hundred and four health literacy tools from a publicly available database were analyzed. Many of the health literacy tools were found to be lacking items related to laboratory testing. Of the health literacy tools that did contain a laboratory component, they were categorized pertaining to the laboratory test/testing content. Emerging from this process, eight competencies were identified that encompassed the entire range of laboratory-related aspects of health literacy. We propose that these eight competencies form the basis of a set of competencies needed for one to access, interpret, and act on laboratory results-a capacity we are referring to as "laboratory literacy."

Health literacy in female patients affected by anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: a cross-sectional study with pair-matched controls

PURPOSE

Health Literacy (HL) consists in all the skills and knowledges used by people to understand and seek health-related information. Inadequate levels of HL substantially affect many different aspects of health. The primary aim of the present study was to assess levels of HL in female patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), compared with matched control subjects.

METHODS

A consecutive series of 64 female patients with AN and BN (mean age 23.1 ± 7.0) was enrolled, matched with 64 female control subjects (mean age 23.7 ± 7.1). Both groups completed the Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16) and the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), which evaluate subjective and objective HL level respectively.

RESULTS

Patients with AN and BN showed lower levels of subjective HL (10.0 ± 3.5 vs. 11.3 ± 3.0) and higher levels of objective HL (5.0 ± 1.3 vs. 3.6 ± 1.6) when compared with controls. No difference between AN and BN was found. No correlation between HLS-EU-Q16 Total Score and duration of illness was found. A negative correlation was found between EDE-Q Eating Concerns and subjective HL levels. HLS-EU-Q16 Total Score was predicted by educational level in control subjects only, while NVS Total Score was not predicted by educational level in control subjects nor in patients.

CONCLUSION

Patients with AN and BN had lower levels of subjective HL. NVS scores could overestimate objective HL in female patients with AN and BN. The promotion of HL in areas differing from those that concern nutritional characteristics of food, could be a therapeutic target for these patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Health Literacy in Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Cancer and Comprehension of Key Concepts Related to Their Child's Care

Background: There is a paucity of literature regarding health literacy in pediatric oncology. We sought to understand the relationship between health literacy and comprehension of key new diagnosis education concepts in parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer. Methods: Using data from a study evaluating a structured new diagnosis discharge teaching intervention, we performed a secondary analysis to understand the relationship between parental health literacy (Brief Health Literacy Screener: BHLS) and comprehension of six key concepts (child's diagnosis, primary oncologist, and treatment plan; seeking emergent care; fever definition; re-dosing medication). We also evaluated the association between parents self-reported sociodemographic characteristics, preferred learning style (one-item ordinal assessment) and health literacy. We tested relationships using Fisher's exact tests, independent samples t-tests, and Pearson correlations. Results: Fifty parents participated (age 35.4 ± 8.2 years [M ± SD]; 86% female; 60% non-Hispanic white; 24% with ≤high school education); nine parents (18%) scored in the BHLS low literacy range; 80% correctly responded to all six items on the key concepts questionnaire (100% comprehension). Health literacy was not significantly related to 100% comprehension or to individual key concept responses, with the exception of "child's treatment plan" (correct responses: 55.6% in low vs. 100% in adequate literacy groups; p < .001). Parental sociodemographic characteristics and preferred learning styles were not significantly related to health literacy. Discussion:Despite variability in health literacy levels, 80% of the parents comprehended all key concepts, suggesting that the intervention was effective for most parents, regardless of health literacy level.

Measuring Health Literacy in Primary Healthcare: Adaptation and Validation of a French-Language Version of the Brief Health Literacy Screening among Patients with Chronic Conditions Seen in Primary Care

Background: The Brief Health Literacy Screening (BHLS) is a short self-report instrument developed to identify patients with inadequate health literacy. This study aimed to translate the BHLS into French Canadian (BHLS-FCv) and to evaluate its psychometric properties among patients with chronic conditions in primary care. Methods: The BHLS was translated into French using the Hawkins and Osborne’s method. Content validity was evaluated through cognitive interviews. A validation study of the BHLS-FCv was conducted in two primary care clinics in the province of Quebec (Canada) among adult patients with chronic conditions. Psychometric properties evaluated included: internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha); test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient); and concurrent validity (Spearman’s correlations with the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ)). Results: 178 participants completed the questionnaire at baseline and 47 completed the questionnaire two weeks later over the telephone. The average score was 13.3. Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency was 0.77. The intraclass correlation coefficient for test–retest reliability was 0.69 (95% confidence interval: 0.45–0.83). Concurrent validity with Spearman’s correlation coefficient with three subscales of HLQ ranged from 0.28 to 0.58. Conclusions: The BHLS-FCv demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties and could be used in a population with chronic conditions in primary care.

The progression on the measurement instruments of maternal health literacy: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

Maternal health literacy is essential for high-quality maternal and child health. However, there is no consensus on the selection and application of maternal health literacy measurement instruments. Thus the aim of this scoping review is to provide an overview of existing literature on application characteristics, appraisal content, and psychometric properties of maternal health literacy measurement instruments.

METHODS

A scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley's methodology and reported results by using PRISMA-ScR. A literature search was conducted of 12 databases on articles published between database creation and July 27, 2021, involving pregnant and postpartum women (over the age of 18). Eligible articles underwent full-text review and data extraction to summarize the application characteristics, appraisal content, and psychometric properties of instruments.

FINDINGS

Thirty-nine articles were included and twenty instruments were identified. The most widely used instruments were objective instruments, represented by the Newest Vital Sign; subjective instruments were represented by the Single Item Literacy Screener; comprehensive instruments were represented by "the health literacy scale for perinatal pregnant women" (Chinese). All instruments measured "personal skills", but less attention was paid to "psychological factors" and "health-related activities". Only a few articles reported the psychometric properties of the instruments, and the instruments were evaluated for reliability using Classical Test Theory.

KEY CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Scientific and reliable maternal health literacy measurement instruments can greatly advance high-quality maternal and child health. The future research direction of instruments should construct rapid maternal health literacy measurement instruments; the appraisal content needs to be enriched in multiple dimensions and introduce more scientific and reliable psychometric methods to verify the reliability of instruments.

The Determinants of Vaccine Literacy in the Italian Population: Results from the Health Literacy Survey 2019

Vaccines are among the most important public health achievements of the last century; however, vaccine awareness and uptake still face significant challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this phenomenon. Vaccine Literacy (VL) is the ability to find, understand and judge immunisation-related information to make appropriate immunisation decisions. A cross-sectional study on a sample of 3500 participants, representative of the Italian adult population aged 18+ years, was conducted in Italy in 2021. A validated questionnaire, including sections on health literacy (HL), sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors, and lifestyles of respondents, was used. VL was measured by four items (item 19, 22, 26 and 29) of the HL section. While 67.6% of the respondents had a “good” (47.5%) or “sufficient” (20.1%) level of VL, 32.4% had “limited” VL levels. Although the overall VL level was quite high, many participants reported difficulties in dealing with vaccination information, particularly those with a lower educational level, those living in southern and insular regions of Italy, those with greater financial deprivation and those with a migration background. Improving VL in Italy should be a top priority in the political agenda, with special regard to socially and geographically disadvantaged communities.