A Practical Approach to Health Literacy: A Primer for Athletic Training Educators

Abstract

Context The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education has an educational standard to address the need for competence in health literacy. Objective The purpose of this paper is to introduce foundational health literacy knowledge and evidence-based tools to apply in athletic training and present examples of assignments to instruct and assess health literacy from a model professional athletic training program. Background Health literacy is “the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.”1 Most patients will experience moments of poor health literacy; therefore, clinicians should use health literacy universal precautions to improve patient decisions and outcomes. These health decisions range from practicing health promotion behaviors, understanding when and how to use health services, and participating in shared decision-making about treatments or procedures. These same health decisions apply to athletic training patient populations. Athletic trainers (ATs) should demonstrate effective health literacy skills; therefore, professional athletic training programs must instruct athletic training students on essential concepts and tools. Description Examples of how one professional athletic training program instructs and assesses health literacy across the curriculum are discussed; including didactic lessons, rubric criteria development, a comprehensive health literacy project, and learning objectives for simulation-based experiences. Clinical Advantage Education drives clinical practice. Incorporating health literacy through didactic presentation and assessment of application may develop health literacy competence and prepare athletic training students to provide optimal care when transitioning to practice. Conclusion Health literacy universal precautions are recommended for all health care professionals to provide quality care. Introducing and assessing these concepts during education will prepare future ATs for successful integration of health literacy into clinical practice. Furthermore, these concepts and tools should be shared with preceptors to reinforce during student clinical experiences.