READING BETWEEN THE LINES: HEALTH LITERACY AMONG OLDER ADULTS: Session 212

Abstract

Adequate health literacy is necessary for effective communication between healthcare professionals and patients. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions (Ratzan et al., 2000). An individual's health literacy is impacted by factors unique to the individual, the culture, and the social context. Studies have estimated poor health literacy in 27-44% of the population (Gazmararian et al., 1999). Understanding who is at risk for low health literacy, and knowing how to assess and intervene with these patients is of utmost importance for healthcare providers. In addition, there are special populations and circumstances under which adequate health literacy may be even more critical; namely, during end-of-life decision making and with patients who have limited access to healthcare. The presenters of this symposium work in two different areas of geriatric medicine that are relevant to the discussion of health literacy among older and/or chronically ill patients: Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) and Palliative Care. HBPC is a national program within Veterans Affairs hospitals designed to provide longitudinal care for medically complex, frail, elderly Veterans in their home. The interdisciplinary HBPC treatment team consists of primary care physicians, nurses, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, kinesiotherapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Many of the patients enrolled in HBPC live in rural areas, and would otherwise lack access to appropriate care; they are thus a vulnerable population, and having a comprehensive understanding of their ability to utilize health-related information is critical. Palliative Care is an area of medicine in which patients are asked to make complex, serious decisions about their healthcare. These patients, too, are vulnerable; having healthcare providers who understand their unique circumstance is important.