Background:
Low health literacy affects one-third of adults in the United States and can have a negative effect on health behavior and outcomes.
Objective:
The goal of this study was to examine attitudes and knowledge of health literacy among pediatric residents and faculty in pediatric resident continuity clinics across the country.
Methods:
An online mixed-methods survey was distributed to pediatric faculty and residents through the Academic Pediatric Association's Continuity Research Network. The 20-question survey included questions about the participants' health literacy knowledge and health literacy practices in continuity clinics, such as use of universal health literacy precautions. Categorical answer choices were dichotomized into positive and negative groupings and resident and faculty responses were compared using the Chi-squared test (significance
p
< .05). Qualitative data were analyzed using emergent coding and grounded theory to determine themes.
Key Results:
Responses were received from 402 individuals at 24 pediatric residency programs. Most participants agreed or strongly agreed that they could correctly identify participants with low health literacy (76% residents vs. 53% faculty). Only 19% of residents and 26% of faculty were familiar with universal health literacy precautions. Many residents and faculty had received no training in health literacy (37% residents vs. 38% faculty). Barriers and challenges around health literacy included time, language, limited training or resources, low literacy, disease mismanagement, and fixed misconceptions.
Conclusion:
Despite ample evidence in the literature to the contrary, most respondents believed they could correctly identify individuals with low health literacy. Additionally, most participants had not heard of universal health literacy precautions and were unaware of their usage in their practice setting. This is not consistent with current expert recommendations. These findings are troubling as they are from academic residency programs, indicating an educational deficit. These findings point toward a next step in health literacy education for pediatric residents. [
HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2022;6(1):e51–e60.
]
Plain Language Summary:
Pediatric residents and faculty in continuity clinics were surveyed about their opinions, health literacy knowledge, ability, and practices in continuity clinics. Despite evidence to the contrary, most respondents believed they could correctly identify individuals with low health literacy and had not heard of universal health literacy precautions. These findings highlight the need for more health literacy education for pediatric residents.
Oklahoma established the first health services initiative (HSI) to expand Reach Out and Read (ROR), increase developmental screening and improve the quality of well-child visits (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT)). ROR uses a book in the exam room to assess development and parent-child interaction, however, little is known about the relationship between this training and using a formal developmental screening tool. The purpose of this study is to see if using federal funding would facilitate ROR expansion and if this expansion would improve developmental screening and EPSDT visits in Oklahoma. Medicaid billing data for state fiscal year (SFY) 2018 and 2019 were analyzed. Standard statistical methods were used to analyze the data descriptively to determine the proportion of developmental screenings performed and EPSDT visits. Comparisons were made between ROR and non-ROR sites. Nine new ROR sites were added with 26 new providers/staff and 130 providers/staff at existing sites trained in ROR from Novenber 2018 to June 2019. In SFY 2018, the developmental screening percentage at non-ROR sites was 33% vs 47% at ROR sites (p<0.0001), in SFY 2019 non-ROR sites were 36% vs 48% at ROR sites (p<0.0001). The EPSDT visit percentage in SFY 2018 was 50% at non-ROR sites vs 69% at ROR sites and in SFY 2019 was 51% at non-ROR sites vs 72% at ROR sites. HSIs are an effective way to fund ROR. Additional funding allowed for increased ROR sites and training. ROR sites are more likely to perform developmental screenings and EPSDT visits.
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