Language and Culture in Health Literacy for People Living with HIV: Perspectives of Health Care Providers and Professional Care Team Members.

Keitshokile Dintle Mogobe,Patrice K Nicholas,Carol Dawson Rose,Yvette Cuca,Darcel Reyes,Solymar S Solís Báez,Jeanne Kemppainen,Lucille Sanzero Eller,Ellah Matshediso,Dean Wantland,Inge B Corless,William L Holzemer,Paula Reid,Mallory O Johnson,Esther Ntsayagae,Teri Lindgren,Marta Rivero-Méndez,Carmen J Portillo,Motshedisi Sabone,Sheila Shaibu,Kathleen M Nokes ,Allison R Webel

doi:10.1155/2016/5015707

Abstract

Low health literacy has been linked to inadequate engagement in care and may serve as a contributor to poor health outcomes among people living with HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this paper was to examine the perspectives of health care providers and professional care team members regarding health literacy in HIV disease. A secondary data analysis was conducted from a qualitative study aimed at understanding factors that help an HIV positive person to manage their HIV disease. Data were collected from sites in Botswana, the US, and Puerto Rico. In the parent study, data were collected through focus group discussions with 135 people living with HIV, 32 HIV health care providers (HCPs), and 39 HIV professional care team members (PCTMs). SPSS was used to analyze quantitative data while ATLAS.ti was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings from analyses of the perspectives of HCPs/PCTMs suggested that linguistic and cultural factors were important themes in the exchange of HIV information between health care providers and PLHIV. These themes included ineffective communication, health seeking behavior, cultural facilitators, and complementary and alternative/traditional healing methods. Thus, this study suggests that language and culture have a major role in health literacy for PLHIV.

Highlights

Defined as an individual’s ability to access, process, and comprehend health-related information with the goal of making appropriate decisions [1], the concept of health literacy gained momentum in the US in the 1990s [2]
Low health literacy has been noted as a risk factor for poor patient outcomes, in patients living with HIV disease [3,4,5,6]
Persons with HIV/AIDS who have low health literacy are more likely to have poor access to health services compared with high health literacy and are at a greater risk for poor health outcomes [11]

Summary

Introduction

Defined as an individual’s ability to access, process, and comprehend health-related information with the goal of making appropriate decisions [1], the concept of health literacy gained momentum in the US in the 1990s [2]. Low health literacy has been noted as a risk factor for poor patient outcomes, in patients living with HIV disease [3,4,5,6]. Health literacy influences patient outcomes at three critical junctures of access to health care, interaction between patient and health care provider, and self-care [10]. Persons with HIV/AIDS who have low health literacy are more likely to have poor access to health services compared with high health literacy and are at a greater risk for poor health outcomes [11]. Medication adherence is a critical issue because poor rates of adherence can lead to unsuccessful viral suppression, resistance to medication, opportunistic infections, overall poor health, decreased quality of life, and potentially death [13, 14]

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Conclusion