The Impact and Outcomes of Integrating Health Literacy Education Into Adult Basic Education Programs in Boston

Hohn, Marcia Drew; Rivera, Lorna

doi:10.3928/24748307-20190325-01

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…We developed a peer language navigator (PLN) program. In concept, this program has some similarities to the approachs described by Hohn (1997), Spener (1992), and others (Bishop, Earp, Eng, & Lynch, 2002; Chervin, Clift, Woods, Krause, & Lee, 2012; Elder, 2003; Findley, & Matos, 2015; Garner, 2008; Schecter, & Lynch, 2011; Soto Mas, Mein, Fuentes, Thatcher, & Balcázar, 2013; Wright, & Grabowsky, 2011) for providing health education to people with low literacy. The program is based at the Alaska Literacy Program (ALP), which is where new immigrants and refugees in Anchorage go to learn English.…”

Section: Program Implementationmentioning

confidence: 95%

A Novel Approach to Improve Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities

Johnson¹,

Shepard²,

Berg³

et al. 2019

HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice

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Background:Anchorage, Alaska, has a large immigrant and refugee population. In fact, it is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States with almost 100 languages spoken by children in the public school system. The city's immigrant and refugee population speaks limited English, and most of these residents are unfamiliar with where or how to obtain health care services through the American health care system.Brief Description of Activity:We developed a peer language navigator (PLN) program.Implementation:The Anchorage Health Literacy Collaborative developed a community-wide program to address the health literacy needs of the city's immigrant and refugee population. Select people who attended Anchorage's adult literacy program (the Alaska Literacy Program) were chosen to learn about health and wellness topics as well as how to obtain health information from reliable online sources. These people, initially known as PLNs, were then trained to share health information resources with their respective communities.Results:A recent evaluation of the program using ripple effects mapping showed that the program has demonstrated wide success, providing understandable health information to hundreds of new English learners throughout the area and guiding them to reliable health and wellness information they can use for themselves, their families, and their community. PLNs have become leaders in their communities and have been renamed peer leader navigators.Lessons Learned:For similar programs to be successful, PLNs should be trained using adult learning principles, allowing them to focus on topics and issues of interest to them. The program should link with community organizations to extend the reach of the program. Care must be exercised to avoid overextending or overwhelming PLNs because after they become leaders in their communities, they will receive many requests to provide guidance and education. Finally, when possible, PLNs should be compensated so they can more fully devote their efforts to serving the community. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2019;3(Suppl.):S15–S24.]Plain Language Summary:The Anchorage Health Literacy Collaborative in Alaska developed a program in which immigrant and refugees attending the city's adult education program to learn beginning English are chosen to serve as peer language navigators (PLNs). The PLNs learn how to obtain credible and easy-to-understand health information and then share it with their respective cultural communities. Lessons learned over time are shared.

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Section: Program Implementationmentioning

confidence: 95%

A Novel Approach to Improve Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities

Johnson¹,

Shepard²,

Berg³

et al. 2019

HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice

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“…Research studies about the impact and outcomes of integrating health found that ABE programs are a good place to learn about health, and are particularly effective when coordinated with local health services. Learners have been highly receptive to learning about health in ABE classrooms (Hohn, 1998; Levy et al, 2008; Rivera & Hohn, 2010).…”

Section: History Of Adult Basic Education and Health Care Efforts To mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adult Basic Education: Community Health Partnerships and Health Disparities

Hohn¹,

Lawrence²,

McKinney³

et al. 2019

HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice

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Background:Adult Basic Education (ABE) is the national system that offers adults with low literacy and/or limited English with educational services in reading, writing, math, technology, and communications from basic levels to high school equivalency, with specialty programs in transition to community colleges and family literacy.Brief Description of Activity:To show the role of ABE in increasing health literacy in low literate and/or limited English populations through partnership with community health organizations (CHOs).Implementation:This article was developed through a collaborative thought process over a period of 8 months with experts from the field of ABE in development of health literacy within low literate and/or limited English populations. It describes the research that links low literacy and/or limited English with poor health, and introduces how ABE and CHOs have addressed these issues together. It also introduces research on the impact on learners of integrating health into ABE.Results:ABE learners have consistently shown a strong interest in learning about health for themselves and their families, and health content energizes ABE instruction. Learners report improvements of basic health knowledge, their confidence communicating with health care professionals, enhanced self-efficacy, and intention to make changes in such health behaviors as diet and tracking blood pressure. Partnerships between ABE programs and their local CHOs strengthen the teaching/learning process and can be mutually beneficial. ABE provides access to hard-to-reach populations, a safe learning environment, and teaching expertise. CHOs provide health expertise, preventive health screenings, and access to treatments.Lessons Learned:The link between low literacy and poor health is no longer disputed. ABE programs and many CHOs share a common mission and commitment to serving vulnerable populations. Stronger partnerships between these organizations should be viewed as a viable strategy for addressing health disparities. A coordinated effort of community health centers across the nation is required to meaningfully respond to health disparities as a national social issue. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2019;3(Suppl.):S1–S7.]Plain Language Summary:This article introduces ABE and the role this system plays in improving health literacy within populations with low health literacy and/or limited English populations. It details the educational services the system provides, how health content has been integrated into instruction, the impact on learners, and how partnerships between ABE programs and community health services strengthen the work.

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“…Low levels of health literacy are associated with an inefficient use of preventive healthcare services, an increased number of hospital visits, increased healthcare costs and deterioration of public health [7]. In line with these requirements, as in all other fields, in order to live a better life and maximize the health literacy of individuals, various health education projects are being developed under the title of adult education and health literacy education [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the health literacy levels of patients applying to Family Medicine outpatient clinics

Gamsızkan¹,

Sungur²

2021

fmpcr

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Background. Today, the concept of health literacy is used to determine the health needs of the population in parallel with ever-increasing health knowledge. Objectives. The aim of the study is to evaluate the health literacy level of patients who apply to the Family Medicine preventive health services of Düzce University Hospital and to investigate the relevant factors that may be related to health literacy. Material and methods. This study was a cross-sectional study carried out between October 2018 and April 2019. The patients were evaluated utilizing the "Health Literacy Survey-European Union (HLS-EU)" scale. The study took place in Düzce Medical Faculty Hospital, Turkey. Results. A total of 816 patients, 48.5% (n = 396) of them male and 51.4% (n = 420) female, were included in the study. The general health literacy levels of the patients were as follows: 30.6% (n = 250) insufficient, 33.4% (n = 272) limited, 28.9% (n = 236) sufficient, 7.1% (n = 58) excellent. According to all subdimensions and matrix averages of the scale used in the study, the mean score that patients received in understanding and applying health information in the disease prevention dimension (8.45 ± 2.30, 8.10 ± 2.38, respectively) was found to be lower than health care (11.20 ± 2.72, 11.63 ± 3.01, respectively). Conclusions. The study results revealed a lower level of health literacy in terms of disease prevention rather than healthcare utilization. Initiatives to increase people's knowledge of disease prevention should be planned.

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The Impact and Outcomes of Integrating Health Literacy Education Into Adult Basic Education Programs in Boston

Cited by 7 publications

References 8 publications

A Novel Approach to Improve Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities

A Novel Approach to Improve Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities

Adult Basic Education: Community Health Partnerships and Health Disparities

Evaluation of the health literacy levels of patients applying to Family Medicine outpatient clinics

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