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Ong MF, Soh KL, Saimon R, Saidi HI, Tiong IK, Myint WW, Mortell M, Japar S. Predictors of fall protection motivation among older adults in rural communities in a middle-income country: A cross-sectional study using the Protection Motivation Theory. J Adv Nurs 2024. [PMID: 38606809 DOI: 10.1111/jan.16190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate factors associated with fall protection motivation to engage in fall preventive behaviour among rural community-dwelling older adults aged 55 and above using the protection motivation theory scale. DESIGN A cross-sectional study. METHODS The study was conducted in a healthcare clinic in Malaysia, using multistage random sampling from November 2021 to January 2022. Three hundred seventy-five older adults aged 55 and older were included in the final analysis. There were 31 items in the final PMT scale. The analysis was performed within the whole population and grouped into 'faller' and 'non-faller', employing IBM SPSS version 26.0 for descriptive, independent t-test, chi-square, bivariate correlation and linear regressions. RESULTS A total of 375 older participants were included in the study. Fallers (n = 82) and non-fallers (n = 293) show statistically significant differences in the characteristics of ethnicity, assistive device users, self-rating of intention and participation in previous fall prevention programmes. The multiple linear regression model revealed fear, coping appraisal and an interaction effect of fear with coping appraisal predicting fall protection motivation among older adults in rural communities. CONCLUSION Findings from this study demonstrated that coping appraisal and fear predict the protection motivation of older adults in rural communities. Older adults without a history of falls and attaining higher education had better responses in coping appraisal, contributing to a reduction in perceived rewards and improving protection motivation. Conversely, older adults from lower education backgrounds tend to have higher non-preventive behaviours, leading to a decline in fall protection motivation. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE These results contribute important information to nurses working with older adults with inadequate health literacy in rural communities, especially when planning and designing fall prevention interventions. The findings would benefit all nurses, healthcare providers, researchers and academicians who provide care for older adults. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Participants were briefed about the study, and their consent was obtained. They were only required to answer the questionnaire through interviews. Older individuals aged fifty-five and above in rural communities at the healthcare clinic who could read, write or understand Malay or English were included. Those who were suffering from mental health problems and refused to participate in the study were excluded from the study. Their personal information remained classified and not recorded in the database during the data entry or analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Fong Ong
- Department of Nursing, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Nursing, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Kim Lam Soh
- Department of Nursing, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rosalia Saimon
- Community Medicine and Public Health, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Hasni Idayu Saidi
- Department of Biomedical Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ing Khieng Tiong
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Wai Wai Myint
- Medicine and Rehabilitation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | | | - Salimah Japar
- Department of Nursing, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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Ramirez JL, Wang K, Sung E, Hernandez S, Le M, Avra TD, Talutis S, Iannuzzi JC, Ulloa JG. Readability of Spanish-Language Online Patient Educational Materials for Peripheral Artery Disease Do Not Meet Recommended Standards and Represent a Literacy Barrier to Care. Ann Vasc Surg 2024; 101:157-163. [PMID: 38154492 DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2023.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Online resources are a valuable source of information for patients and have been reported to improve engagement and adherence to medical care. However, readability of online patient educational materials (OPEMs) is crucial for them to serve their intended purpose. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that OPEM be written at or below the sixth grade reading level. To avoid disparities in access to comprehensible health information on peripheral artery disease (PAD), it is imperative that the readability of PAD OPEM is appropriate for both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the readability of PAD OPEM in Spanish and compare to English-language OPEM. METHODS We conducted a Google search in English and Spanish using "peripheral arterial disease" and "enfermedad arterial periferica", respectively, and the top 25 patient-accessible articles were collected for each. Articles were categorized by source type: hospital, professional society, or other. Readability of English-language OPEM was measured using the Flesch Reading Ease Readability Formula, Automated Readability Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog, Linsear Write Formula, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index. Readability of Spanish OPEM was measured using the Fernández-Huerta Index and Índice Flesch-Szigriszt Scale. Readability of the articles was compared to the AMA recommendation, between English- and Spanish-language, and across sources using statistical tests appropriate to the data. RESULTS OPEM from professional societies represented the fewest number of English- (n = 7, 28%) and Spanish-language (n = 6, 24%) articles. Most English-speaking (n = 18, 72%) and Spanish-language (n = 20, 80%) OPEM were considered difficult as measured by the Flesch Reading Ease Readability Formula and Fernández-Huerta Index, respectively, but did not significantly differ between languages (P = 0.59). There were no significant differences in the average readability of all readability measurements across sources (hospital, professional society, or other). All the average readability grade levels for English-speaking and Spanish-language OPEM was significantly higher than the sixth grade reading level (P < 0.01). Only 3 (6%) OPEM met the AMA recommended reading level and there was no significant difference between English-language and Spanish-language OPEM (P = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS Nearly all Spanish-language and English-language PAD OPEM assessed were written at a reading grade level higher than recommended by the AMA. There was no significant difference in the readability of materials from hospitals or professional societies. To prevent further widening of health disparities related to literacy, health content creators, particularly hospitals and professional societies, should prioritize, develop, and ensure that English-language and Spanish-language patient education materials are written at a level appropriate for the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel L Ramirez
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA
| | - Karissa Wang
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Eric Sung
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | | | - Monica Le
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Tucker D Avra
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Stephanie Talutis
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - James C Iannuzzi
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jesus G Ulloa
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; West Los Angeles Veterans Health Administration, Los Angeles, CA.
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Cocchieri A, Pezzullo AM, Cesare M, De Rinaldis M, Cristofori E, D'Agostino F. Association between health literacy and nursing care in hospital: A retrospective study. J Clin Nurs 2024; 33:642-652. [PMID: 37807642 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To describe the health literacy (HL) levels of hospitalised patients and their relationship with nursing diagnoses (NDs), nursing interventions and nursing measures for clinical risks. DESIGN Retrospective study. METHODS The study was conducted from December 2020 to December 2021 in an Italian university hospital. From 146 wards, 1067 electronic nursing records were randomly selected. The Single-Item Literacy Screener was used to measure HL. Measures for clinical risks were systematically assessed by nurses using Conley Index score, the Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score, Braden score, and the Barthel Index. A univariable linear regression model was used to assess the associations of HL with NDs. RESULTS Patients with low HL reported a higher number of NDs, interventions and higher clinical risks. HL can be considered a predictor of complexity of care. CONCLUSIONS The inclusion of standardised terms in nursing records can describe the complexity of care and facilitate the predictive ability on hospital outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE HL evaluation during the first 24 h. From hospital admission could help to intercept patients at risk of higher complexity of care. These results can guide the development of interventions to minimise needs after discharge. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION No patient or public contribution was required to design or undertake this research. Patients contributed only to the data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonello Cocchieri
- Section of Hygiene, Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Angelo Maria Pezzullo
- Section of Hygiene, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuele Cesare
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Miriam De Rinaldis
- Section of Hygiene, Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Cristofori
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio D'Agostino
- Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
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Dijkman EM, ter Brake WWM, Drossaert CHC, Doggen CJM. Assessment Tools for Measuring Health Literacy and Digital Health Literacy in a Hospital Setting: A Scoping Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 12:11. [PMID: 38200917 PMCID: PMC10778720 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Assessment of (digital) health literacy in the hospital can raise staff awareness and facilitate tailored communication, leading to improved health outcomes. Assessment tools should ideally address multiple domains of health literacy, fit to the complex hospital context and have a short administration time, to enable routine assessment. This review aims to create an overview of tools for measuring (digital) health literacy in hospitals. A search in Scopus, PubMed, WoS and CINAHL, following PRISMA guidelines, generated 7252 hits; 251 studies were included in which 44 assessment tools were used. Most tools (57%) were self-reported and 27% reported an administration time of <5 min. Almost all tools addressed the domain 'understanding' (98%), followed by 'access' (52%), 'apply' (50%), 'appraise' (32%), 'numeracy' (18%), and 'digital' (18%). Only four tools were frequently used: the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy for Adults ((S)TOFHLA), the Brief Health Literacy Screener (BHLS), and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). While the NVS and BHLS have a low administration time, they cover only two domains. HLQ covers the most domains: access, understanding, appraise, and apply. None of these four most frequently used tools measured digital skills. This review can guide health professionals in choosing an instrument that is feasible in their daily practice, and measures the required domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline M. Dijkman
- Department of Health Technology and Services Research (HTSR), Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.M.D.)
- Department of Surgery, Isala Hospital, 8025 AB Zwolle, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter W. M. ter Brake
- Department of Health Technology and Services Research (HTSR), Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.M.D.)
| | | | - Carine J. M. Doggen
- Department of Health Technology and Services Research (HTSR), Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.M.D.)
- Clinical Research Center, Rijnstate Hospital, 6815 AD Arnhem, The Netherlands
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Rasmussen SE, Aaby A, Søjbjerg A, Mygind A, Maindal HT, Paakkari O, Christensen KS. The Brief Health Literacy Scale for Adults: Adaptation and Validation of the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children Questionnaire. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7071. [PMID: 37998302 PMCID: PMC10671482 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20227071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC) is a brief, generic instrument measuring health literacy among school-aged children. Given its brevity and broad conceptualization of health literacy, the HLSAC is a potentially valuable measuring instrument among adults as well. This validation study aimed to adapt the HLSAC questionnaire to an adult population through assessment of content validity and subsequently determine the structural validity of the adapted instrument, the Brief Health Literacy scale for Adults (B-HLA). The content validity of the HLSAC was assessed through interviews with respondents and experts, and the structural validity of the adapted instrument (B-HLA) was evaluated using Rasch analysis. The content validity assessment (n = 25) gave rise to adjustments in the wording of five items. The B-HLA demonstrated an overall misfit to the Rasch model (n = 290). Items 6 and 8 had the poorest individual fits. We found no signs of local dependency or differential item functioning concerning sex, age, education, and native language. The B-HLA demonstrated unidimensionality and ability to discriminate across health literacy levels (PSI = 0.80). Discarding items 6 or 8 resulted in an overall model fit and individual fit of all items. In conclusion, the B-HLA appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing health literacy among adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stinne Eika Rasmussen
- Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.S.); (A.M.); (K.S.C.)
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.A.); (H.T.M.)
| | - Anna Aaby
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.A.); (H.T.M.)
| | - Anne Søjbjerg
- Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.S.); (A.M.); (K.S.C.)
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.A.); (H.T.M.)
| | - Anna Mygind
- Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.S.); (A.M.); (K.S.C.)
| | - Helle Terkildsen Maindal
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.A.); (H.T.M.)
| | - Olli Paakkari
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Research Centre for Health Promotion, University of Jyväskylä, Keskussairaalantie 4, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland;
| | - Kaj Sparle Christensen
- Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.S.); (A.M.); (K.S.C.)
- Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (A.A.); (H.T.M.)
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Bahrambeygi F, Rakhshanderou S, Ramezankhani A, Ghaffari M. Hospital health literacy conceptual explanation: A qualitative content analysis based on experts and population perspectives. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION 2023; 12:31. [PMID: 37034858 PMCID: PMC10079191 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_494_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Given the complexities of the health care system and the importance of the subject and effects of health literacy in all aspects of care, defining specific health literacy in this context seems necessary. The purpose of this research was to explain the concept of hospital health literacy (HHL), its definition, and the related dimensions using the qualitative research method. MATERIALS AND METHODS An exploratory qualitative design was used. Exploratory, open-ended, and face-to-face interviews based on the interview guide were used to elicit participants' perspectives between July 2021 and January 2022. By using the content analysis method, researchers coded transcripts and collated these codes into sub-categories and then merged them into the main category and explored the dimensions of the concept. RESULTS A total of 23 service providers and 25 service recipients were included in the study. Analysis of qualitative data led to the identification of 6 categories and 25 sub-categories including cognitive literacy, functional (basic) literacy, communicative literacy, behavioral literacy, media literacy, and emotional literacy. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study provide a deep understanding of the concept of HHL that could be applied to develop valid and reliable measurement tools for assessing HHL among a variety of populations. Also, it is hoped that the present attempt can be useful to guide future research and interventions as well as to provide a clear base for planning, implementing, and evaluating interventions aimed at promoting individuals' health literacy in health settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Bahrambeygi
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sakineh Rakhshanderou
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Ramezankhani
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohtasham Ghaffari
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Neighborhood-level socioeconomic status, extended length of stay, and discharge disposition following elective lumbar spine surgery. NORTH AMERICAN SPINE SOCIETY JOURNAL 2022; 12:100187. [PMID: 36561892 PMCID: PMC9763740 DOI: 10.1016/j.xnsj.2022.100187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Background In the context of increased attention afforded to hospital efficiency and improved but safe patient throughput, decreasing unnecessary hospital length of stay (LOS) is imperative. Given that lumbar spine procedures may be among a hospital's most profitable services, identifying patients at risk of increased healthcare resource utilization prior to surgery is a valuable opportunity to develop targeted pre- and peri-operative intervention and quality improvement initiatives. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine patient factors that predict prolonged LOS as well as discharge disposition following elective, posterior, lumbar spine surgery. Methods We employed a retrospective cohort analysis on 779 consecutive patients treated with lumbar surgery without fusion. Our primary outcome measures were extended LOS (three or more midnights) and discharge disposition. Patient sociodemographic, procedural, and discharge characteristics were adjusted for in our analysis. Sociodemographic variables included Area of Deprivation Index (ADI), a comprehensive metric of socioeconomic status, utilizing income, education, employment, and housing quality based on patient zip code. Multivariable logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to assess whether covariates were independently predictive of extended LOS and discharge disposition, respectively. Results 779 patients were studied, with a median age of 66 years (±15) and a median LOS of 1 midnight (range, 1-10 midnights). Patients in the most disadvantaged ADI quintile (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 2.48 95% CI 1.15-5.47), those who underwent a minimally-invasive or tubular retractor surgery (aOR 3.03 95% CI 1.02-8.56), those who had an intra-operative drain placed (aOR 4.46 95% CI 2.53-7.26), who had a cerebrospinal fluid leak (aOR 3.46 95% CI 1.55-7.58), who were discharged anywhere but home (aOR 17.11 95% CI 9.24-33.00), and those who were evaluated by physical therapy (aOR 7.23 95% CI 2.13-45.30) or OT (aOR 2.20 95% CI 1.13-4.22) had a significantly increased chance of an extended LOS. Preoperative opioid use was not associated with an increased LOS following surgery (aOR 1.12 95% CI 0.56-1.46). Extended LOS was not associated with post-discharge emergency department representation or unplanned readmission within 90 days following discharge (p=0.148). Patients who were older (aOR 1.99 95% CI 1.62-2.48), in higher quintiles on ADI (3rd quintile; aOR 1.90 95% CI 1.12-3.23, 4th quintile; aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.05-3.05, 5th quintile; aOR 2.16 95% CI 1.26-3.75), who had a CSF leak (aOR 2.18 95% CI 1.22-3.86), or who had a longer procedure duration (aOR 1.38 95% CI 1.17-1.62) were more likely to require additional services or be sent to a subacute facility upon discharge. Conclusions Patient sociodemographics, along with procedural factors, and discharge disposition were all associated with an increased likelihood of prolonged LOS and resource intensive discharges following elective lumbar spine surgery. Several of these factors could be reliably identified pre-operatively and may be amenable to targeted preoperative intervention. Improving discharge disposition planning in the peri-operative period may allow for more efficient use of hospitalization and inpatient and post-acute resources.
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Shahid R, Shoker M, Chu LM, Frehlick R, Ward H, Pahwa P. Impact of low health literacy on patients' health outcomes: a multicenter cohort study. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1148. [PMID: 36096793 PMCID: PMC9465902 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08527-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aims to assess the health literacy of medical patients admitted to hospitals and examine its correlation with patients’ emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, and durations of hospital stay. Methods This prospective cohort study recruited patients admitted to the general internal medicine units at the two urban tertiary care hospitals. Health literacy was measured using the full-length Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the correlation between health literacy and the desired outcomes. The primary outcome of interest of this study was to determine the correlation between health literacy and emergency department revisit within 90 days of discharge. The secondary outcomes of interest were to assess the correlation between health literacy and length of stay and hospital readmission within 90 days of discharge. Results We found that 50% had adequate health literacy, 32% had inadequate, and 18% of patients had marginal health literacy. Patients with inadequate health literacy were more likely to revisit the emergency department as compared to patients with adequate health literacy (odds ratio: 3.0; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.3–6.9, p = 0.01). In patients with inadequate health literacy, the mean predicted probability of emergency department revisits was 0.22 ± 0.11 if their education level was some high school or less and 0.57 ± 0.18 if they had completed college. No significant correlation was noted between health literacy and duration of hospital stay or readmission. Conclusions Only half of the patients admitted to the general internal medicine unit had adequate health literacy. Patients with low health literacy, but high education, had a higher probability of emergency department revisits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Shahid
- Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK7N OW8, Canada.
| | - Muhammad Shoker
- College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Luan Manh Chu
- Provincial Research Data Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Ryan Frehlick
- College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Heather Ward
- Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK7N OW8, Canada
| | - Punam Pahwa
- Canadian Center for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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Bayer-Oglesby L, Zumbrunn A, Bachmann N. Social inequalities, length of hospital stay for chronic conditions and the mediating role of comorbidity and discharge destination: A multilevel analysis of hospital administrative data linked to the population census in Switzerland. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272265. [PMID: 36001555 PMCID: PMC9401154 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social factors are recognized determinants of morbidity and mortality and also have an impact on use of medical services. The objective of this study was to assess the associations of educational attainment, social and financial resources, and migration factors with length of hospital stays for chronic conditions. In addition, the study investigated the role of comorbidity and discharge destination in mediating these associations. The study made use of nationwide inpatient data that was linked with Swiss census data. The study sample included n = 141,307 records of n = 92,623 inpatients aged 25 to 84 years, hospitalized between 2010 and 2016 for a chronic condition. Cross-classified multilevel models and mediation analysis were performed. Patients with upper secondary and compulsory education stayed longer in hospital compared to those with tertiary education (β 0.24 days, 95% CI 0.14–0.33; β 0.37, 95% CI 0.27–0.47, respectively) when taking into account demographic factors, main diagnosis and clustering on patient and hospital level. However, these effects were almost fully mediated by burden of comorbidity. The effect of living alone on length of stay (β 0.60 days, 95% CI 0.50–0.70) was partially mediated by both burden of comorbidities (33%) and discharge destination (30.4%). (Semi-) private insurance was associated with prolonged stays, but an inverse effect was observed for colon and breast cancer. Allophone patients had also prolonged hospital stays (β 0.34, 95% CI 0.13–0.55). Hospital stays could be a window of opportunity to discern patients who need additional time and support to better cope with everyday life after discharge, reducing the risks of future hospital stays. However, inpatient care in Switzerland seems to take into account rather obvious individual needs due to lack of immediate support at home, but not necessarily more hidden needs of patients with low health literacy and less resources to assert their interests within the health system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Bayer-Oglesby
- Institute for Social Work and Health, School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Olten, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrea Zumbrunn
- Institute for Social Work and Health, School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Olten, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Bachmann
- Institute for Social Work and Health, School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Olten, Switzerland
| | - on behalf of the SIHOS Team
- Institute for Social Work and Health, School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Olten, Switzerland
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Neighborhood-level Socioeconomic Status Predicts Extended Length of Stay Following Elective Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery. World Neurosurg 2022; 163:e341-e348. [PMID: 35390498 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.03.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A significant portion of healthcare spending is driven by a small percentage of the overall population. Understanding risk factors predisposing patients to disproportionate utilization of healthcare resources is critical. Our objective was to identify risk factors leading to a prolonged length of stay (LOS) following cervical spine surgery. METHODS A single center cohort analysis was performed on patients who underwent elective anterior spine surgery from 2015-2021. Multivariate logistic regression evaluated the effects of sociodemographic factors including Area of Deprivation Index (quantifies income, education, employment, and housing quality), procedural, and discharge characteristics on postoperative LOS. Extended LOS was defined as greater than the 90th percentile in midnights for the study population (greater than or equal to three midnights). RESULTS There were 686 patients included in the study, with a mean age of 57 years (range 26-92), median of 1 level (1-4) fused, and median LOS of 1 midnight (IQR 1,2). After adjusting for confounders, patients had increased odds of extended LOS if they were highly disadvantaged on the Area of Deprivation Index (ADI, OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.04 - 4.82; p=.039); had surgery on Thursday or Friday (OR=1.94; 1.01 - 3.72; p=.046); had a corpectomy performed (OR=2.81; 1.26 - 6.28; p=.012); or discharged not to home (OR=8.24; 2.88 - 23.56; p<.001). Patients with extended LOS were more likely to present to the emergency department or be re-admitted within 30 days after discharge (p=.024). CONCLUSION After adjusting for potential cofounders, patients most disadvantaged on ADI were more likely to have an extended LOS.
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Deshpande OA, Tawfik JA, Namavar AA, Nguyen KP, Vangala SS, Romero T, Parikh NN, Dowling EP. A Prospective Observational Study Assessing the Impacts of Health Literacy and Psychosocial Determinants of Health on 30-day Readmission Risk. J Patient Exp 2022; 9:23743735221079140. [PMID: 35187225 PMCID: PMC8855411 DOI: 10.1177/23743735221079140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Our objective was to assess the utility of an assessment battery capturing health literacy (HL) and biopsychosocial determinants of health in predicting 30-day readmission in comparison to a currently well-adopted readmission risk calculator. We also sought to capture the distribution of inpatient HL, with emphasis on inadequate and marginal HL (an intermediate HL level). A prospective observational study was conducted to obtain HL and biopsychosocial data on general medicine inpatients admitted to the UCLA health system. Five hundred thirty-seven subjects were tracked prospectively for 30-day readmission after index hospitalization. HL was significantly better at predicting readmission compared to LACE + (Length, admission acuity, comorbidities, emergency room visits) alone (P = .013). A multivariate model including education, insurance, and language comfort was a strong predictor of adequate HL (P < .001). In conclusion, HL offered significant improvement in risk stratification in comparison to LACE + alone. Patients with marginal HL were high-risk, albeit difficult to characterize. Incorporating robust HL and biopsychosocial determinant assessments may allow hospital systems to allocate educational resources towards at-risk patients, thereby mitigating readmission risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ojas A Deshpande
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - John A Tawfik
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,California Health and Science University - School of Osteopathic Medicine, Clovis, CA, USA
| | - Aram A Namavar
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Neil N Parikh
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,University of California, Los Angeles Health Department of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Erin P Dowling
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,University of California, Los Angeles Health Department of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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12
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de Crescenzo C, Chen YW, Adler J, Zorigtbaatar A, Kirwan C, Maurer LR, Chang DC, Yeh H. Increasing Frequency of Interpreting Services is Associated With Shorter Peri-operative Length of Stay. J Surg Res 2021; 270:178-186. [PMID: 34688989 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with limited English proficiency have barriers to accessing care. Rather than a binary use or no use, this study uses granular data on frequency of interpreting services to determine if this frequency is associated with differences in peri-operative length of stay for patients with limited English proficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a cross sectional study on length of stay for peri-operative admissions of at least one night during 2018, for patients who used medical interpreting services in an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts. The participants are split into quartiles of ascending number of interpreting events per day. The exposure for the primary outcome is the frequency of interpreting events per day during peri-operative admission. The primary study outcome measurement is peri-operative length of stay in days. RESULTS There was a statistically significant decrease in length of stay for patients in the highest two quartiles of interpreting service frequency, compared to the lowest quartile: quartile 2 trended shorter by 1.4 d (95% CI -4.5 to 1.7, P = 0.37), quartile 3 was 4.2 d shorter (95% CI -7.6 to -0.7, P = 0.02), and quartile 4 was 4.6 d shorter (95% CI -8.1 to -1.1, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS More frequent interpreting services per day during peri-operative admission are associated with shorter length of stay in adjusted analysis. The findings merit further study in an intervention to increase use of interpreting services for surgical patients with limited English proficiency to study the impact of increased frequency of culturally competent care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire de Crescenzo
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Ya-Wen Chen
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joel Adler
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anudari Zorigtbaatar
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christopher Kirwan
- Medical Interpreter Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lydia R Maurer
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David C Chang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Heidi Yeh
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Mitra M, McKee MM, Akobirshoev I, Ritter GA, Valentine AM. Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes Among Deaf or Hard of Hearing Women: Results From Nationally Representative Data. Womens Health Issues 2021; 31:470-477. [PMID: 33888398 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the literature suggests that women with disabilities are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes, there are few population-based studies of the pregnancy outcomes among deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) women in the United States. OBJECTIVE To compare pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes between deliveries to DHH and non-DHH women using national hospitalization discharge record data. STUDY DESIGN We used the 2007-2016 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample to compare pregnancy complications and outcomes among deliveries to DHH women with deliveries to non-DHH women using bivariate and Poisson regressions, controlling for sociodemographic, hospital, and clinical characteristics. RESULTS DHH women had an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and chronic medical conditions, including preexisting diabetes (relative risk [RR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.68-2.42; p < .001), gestational diabetes (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.19-1.44; p < .001), chronic hypertension (RR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.33-1.72; p < .001), preeclampsia and eclampsia (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.21-1.51; p < .01), placenta previa (RR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.22-2.16; p < .01), placental abruption (RR, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.78; p < .01), labor induction (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05-1.27; p < .01), chorioamnionitis (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.22-1.69; p < .001), cesarean delivery (RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04-1.14; p < .001), premature rupture of membranes (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.20-1.50; p < .001), antepartum hemorrhage (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13-1.64; p < .001), and postpartum hemorrhage (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.13-1.49; p < .001). After adjustment for socioeconomic and hospital characteristics, the risk for gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and eclampsia, placenta previa, and chorioamnionitis remained unexplained. CONCLUSIONS DHH women are at an increased risk for adverse pregnancy, fetal, and neonatal outcomes, illuminating the need for awareness among obstetric and primary care providers as well as the need for systematic investigation of outcomes and evidence-based guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Mitra
- The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02453.
| | - Michael M McKee
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ilhom Akobirshoev
- The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02453
| | - Grant A Ritter
- The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Anne M Valentine
- The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02453
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14
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Kowatsch T, Schachner T, Harperink S, Barata F, Dittler U, Xiao G, Stanger C, V Wangenheim F, Fleisch E, Oswald H, Möller A. Conversational Agents as Mediating Social Actors in Chronic Disease Management Involving Health Care Professionals, Patients, and Family Members: Multisite Single-Arm Feasibility Study. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e25060. [PMID: 33484114 PMCID: PMC7929753 DOI: 10.2196/25060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Successful management of chronic diseases requires a trustful collaboration between health care professionals, patients, and family members. Scalable conversational agents, designed to assist health care professionals, may play a significant role in supporting this collaboration in a scalable way by reaching out to the everyday lives of patients and their family members. However, to date, it remains unclear whether conversational agents, in such a role, would be accepted and whether they can support this multistakeholder collaboration. OBJECTIVE With asthma in children representing a relevant target of chronic disease management, this study had the following objectives: (1) to describe the design of MAX, a conversational agent-delivered asthma intervention that supports health care professionals targeting child-parent teams in their everyday lives; and (2) to assess the (a) reach of MAX, (b) conversational agent-patient working alliance, (c) acceptance of MAX, (d) intervention completion rate, (e) cognitive and behavioral outcomes, and (f) human effort and responsiveness of health care professionals in primary and secondary care settings. METHODS MAX was designed to increase cognitive skills (ie, knowledge about asthma) and behavioral skills (ie, inhalation technique) in 10-15-year-olds with asthma, and enables support by a health professional and a family member. To this end, three design goals guided the development: (1) to build a conversational agent-patient working alliance; (2) to offer hybrid (human- and conversational agent-supported) ubiquitous coaching; and (3) to provide an intervention with high experiential value. An interdisciplinary team of computer scientists, asthma experts, and young patients with their parents developed the intervention collaboratively. The conversational agent communicates with health care professionals via email, with patients via a mobile chat app, and with a family member via SMS text messaging. A single-arm feasibility study in primary and secondary care settings was performed to assess MAX. RESULTS Results indicated an overall positive evaluation of MAX with respect to its reach (49.5%, 49/99 of recruited and eligible patient-family member teams participated), a strong patient-conversational agent working alliance, and high acceptance by all relevant stakeholders. Moreover, MAX led to improved cognitive and behavioral skills and an intervention completion rate of 75.5%. Family members supported the patients in 269 out of 275 (97.8%) coaching sessions. Most of the conversational turns (99.5%) were conducted between patients and the conversational agent as opposed to between patients and health care professionals, thus indicating the scalability of MAX. In addition, it took health care professionals less than 4 minutes to assess the inhalation technique and 3 days to deliver related feedback to the patients. Several suggestions for improvement were made. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first evidence that conversational agents, designed as mediating social actors involving health care professionals, patients, and family members, are not only accepted in such a "team player" role but also show potential to improve health-relevant outcomes in chronic disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kowatsch
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore-ETH Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Institute of Technology Management, University of St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Theresa Schachner
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Samira Harperink
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Filipe Barata
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ullrich Dittler
- Fakultät Digitale Medien, Campus Furtwangen, Hochschule Furtwangen University, Furtwangen, Germany
| | - Grace Xiao
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Catherine Stanger
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Florian V Wangenheim
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore-ETH Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Elgar Fleisch
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore-ETH Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Institute of Technology Management, University of St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Helmut Oswald
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Möller
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Childhood Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Hobbs K, Muscat DM, Ceprnja D, Gibson JA, Blumenthal C, Milad R, Burns C, Dennis S, Lau T, Flood V. Assessing health literacy among adult outpatients attending allied health clinics in western sydney: A cross-sectional survey using a multidimensional instrument. Health Promot J Austr 2021; 33:83-90. [PMID: 33428797 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED Low health literacy disproportionately affects adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This study investigated the health literacy of adults attending outpatient allied health services in western Sydney, a highly diverse region in Sydney with residents from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was undertaken between March and April 2017 using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Participants, aged over 18 years and with a primary language of English, Arabic, Chinese or Hindi, were recruited from outpatient allied health clinics at Westmead Hospital. Means (standard deviation) for each of the nine HLQ domains were calculated and associations with demographic variables were investigated using analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS Two hundred and thirty people were included with mean age of 45.1 years (SD = 19.0), the majority were female (75.5%), over half were born overseas (55.7%) and 77.6% reported speaking English at home. The highest mean score on a HLQ domain (out of 5) was "Understanding health information well enough to know what to do" (M = 4.19; SD = 0.67), and the lowest mean score (out of 4) was "Appraisal of health information" (M = 2.97; SD = 0.54). Participants who did not speak English at home had significantly lower scores on seven of the nine HLQ domains. CONCLUSIONS Important health literacy strengths and limitations of a diverse sample of adults attending outpatient allied health services in western Sydney were identified. Findings should be considered in the light of the cross-sectional survey methodology with non-random sampling. SO WHAT Data will inform future interventions to improve health literacy and health outcomes among vulnerable population groups in western Sydney.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Hobbs
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Danielle Marie Muscat
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dragana Ceprnja
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jodi-Anne Gibson
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Caron Blumenthal
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rula Milad
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chris Burns
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sarah Dennis
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,South West Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Timothea Lau
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.,Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Victoria Flood
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.,Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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16
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Vollbrecht H, Arora V, Otero S, Carey K, Meltzer D, Press VG. Evaluating the Need to Address Digital Literacy Among Hospitalized Patients: Cross-Sectional Observational Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e17519. [PMID: 32496196 PMCID: PMC7303835 DOI: 10.2196/17519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Technology is a potentially powerful tool to assist patients with transitions of care during and after hospitalization. Patients with low health literacy who are predisposed to poor health outcomes are particularly poised to benefit from such interventions. However, this population may lack the ability to effectively engage with technology. Although prior research studied the role of health literacy in technology access/use among outpatients, hospitalized patient populations have not been investigated in this context. Further, with the rapid uptake of technology, access may no longer be pertinent, and differences in technological capabilities may drive the current digital divide. Thus, characterizing the digital literacy of hospitalized patients across health literacy levels is paramount. Objective We sought to determine the relationship between health literacy level and technological access, use, and capability among hospitalized patients. Methods Adult inpatients completed a technology survey that asked about technology access/use and online capabilities as part of an ongoing quality of care study. Participants’ health literacy level was assessed utilizing the 3-question Brief Health Literacy Screen. Descriptive statistics, bivariate chi-squared analyses, and multivariate logistic regression analyses (adjusting for age, race, gender, and education level) were performed. Using Bonferroni correction for the 18 tests, the threshold P value for significance was <.003. Results Among 502 enrolled participants, the mean age was 51 years, 71.3% (358/502) were African American, half (265/502, 52.8%) were female, and half (253/502, 50.4%) had at least some college education. Over one-third (191/502, 38.0%) of participants had low health literacy. The majority of participants owned devices (owned a smartphone: 116/173, 67.1% low health literacy versus 235/300, 78.3% adequate health literacy, P=.007) and had used the Internet previously (143/189, 75.7% low health literacy versus 281/309, 90.9% adequate health literacy, P<.001). Participants with low health literacy were more likely to report needing help performing online tasks (133/189, 70.4% low health literacy versus 135/303, 44.6% adequate health literacy, P<.001). In the multivariate analysis, when adjusting for age, race, gender, and education level, we found that low health literacy was not significantly associated with a lower likelihood of owning smartphones (OR: 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.4; P=.52) or using the internet ever (OR: 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-0.9; P=.02). However, low health literacy remained significantly associated with a higher likelihood of needing help performing any online task (OR: 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.6; P=.002). Conclusions The majority of participants with low health literacy had access to technological devices and had used the internet previously, but they were unable to perform online tasks without assistance. The barriers patients face in using online health information and other health information technology may be more related to online capabilities rather than to technology access. When designing and implementing technological tools for hospitalized patients, it is important to ensure that patients across digital literacy levels can both understand and use them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Vollbrecht
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Vineet Arora
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sebastian Otero
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kyle Carey
- Section of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - David Meltzer
- Section of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Valerie G Press
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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17
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Hussain N, Said ASA, Khan Z. Influence of Health Literacy on Medication Adherence Among Elderly Females With Type 2 Diabetes in Pakistan. INTERNATIONAL QUARTERLY OF COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION 2019; 41:35-44. [PMID: 31886737 DOI: 10.1177/0272684x19896724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Health literacy is how well the patients are able to attain, deal with, and understand basic health information. This is particularly important when it comes to comprehending prescribed medication instructions. To improve the communication strategies for health-care professionals during patient counseling, our study aimed to assess the influence of health literacy and medication adherence in older patients. The objectives of the study were to evaluate associations that occur between the level of health literacy and medication adherence. This study used a convenience sampling method of females (older than 60 years) attending the diabetic clinic in two hospital settings (N = 524). All study participants filled three validated questionnaires: these were the Literacy Assessment for Diabetes, the Diabetes Numeracy Test, and a modified Brief Adherence Rating Scale. To assess the spectrum of health literacy differences, we used χ2 analysis and linear regression analysis. Individuals with adequate health literacy were more likely to remember to take their medications compared with those with inadequate health literacy, χ2(4) = 11.6, p = .04. Adequate literacy level study participants were more likely to not change the dose of their medications without medical advice (12.3%) compared with those individuals with inadequate health literacy (2.8%), χ2(4) = 11.13, p = .03. The results in our study suggest that health-care professionals should focus on appropriate communication attuned to the assessment of health literacy levels particularly in older female patients when discussing medication instructions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Hussain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, UAE
| | - Amira S A Said
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, UAE
| | - Zainab Khan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Punjab Care hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
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18
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Nowak M, Lee S, Karbach U, Pfaff H, Groß SE. Short length of stay and the discharge process: Preparing breast cancer patients appropriately. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2019; 102:2318-2324. [PMID: 31427170 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2019.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, increasing the relevance of an efficient and successful care process. As length of stay (LOS) in the hospital decreases, patients' satisfaction with the LOS varies. We hypothesize that successful discharge planning can improve this evaluation. METHODS Data of 4,390 female breast cancer patients from a cross-sectional survey was analyzed. The data was collected in 2017 in 86 German hospitals. Logistic regressions were used to test hypotheses. RESULTS The majority of included patients rated their LOS as appropriate. However, patients who felt better prepared for discharge were less likely to rate their stay as too short. A longer stay in the hospital further decreased this likelihood. The effect of LOS was moderated by patient experiences with preparation for discharge. CONCLUSION As hospital LOS decreases, one challenge in allowing patients to feel sufficiently informed and ready to go home is the reduced time for face-to-face consultations. Our results indicate, however, that a strong and thorough discharge planning makes the actual number of days for LOS irrelevant for patient's rating of LOS. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS The study results underscore the importance of ensuring the quality and thoroughness of the discharge process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Nowak
- Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research, and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR) at the Faculty of Human Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Susan Lee
- Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research, and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR) at the Faculty of Human Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ute Karbach
- Sociology in Rehabilitation, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences of the Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Holger Pfaff
- Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research, and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR) at the Faculty of Human Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sophie E Groß
- Institute for Medical Sociology, Health Services Research, and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR) at the Faculty of Human Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; LVR-Institute of Health Care Research, LVR Clinic Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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19
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Whittle S, Lopez M, Russell H. Payer and race/ethnicity influence length and cost of childhood cancer hospitalizations. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2019; 66:e27739. [PMID: 30989762 PMCID: PMC7057732 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.27739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health disparities related to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and insurance status impact quality, access, and health outcomes for children. Medicaid is a proxy for poverty and restricted access to health care. The goal of this study was to determine if there are discrepancies in the length and cost of hospitalizations between admissions covered by Medicaid or commercial insurance for pediatric patients with cancer. METHODS Childhood cancer-related admissions were identified from the 2012 Kids Inpatient Database (KID) using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision. Length of hospitalization and cost of hospitalization were compared among hospitalizations paid by Medicaid or commercial insurance. Total admission charges were converted to costs using cost-to-charge ratios, and survey weighting methods were used for all analyses. Linear multiple regression models for both length of hospitalization and cost were developed to include patient-level factors (race, sex, age, diagnosis, reason for admission). RESULTS In 2012, there were 104 597 childhood cancer-related admissions. Hospitalizations paid by Medicaid were significantly longer than those paid by commercial insurance. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with higher cost of hospitalization regardless of payer, and black race was associated with higher costs within the Medicaid population. CONCLUSIONS This analysis identifies differences in healthcare utilization for pediatric cancer-related admissions paid for by Medicaid compared with commercial insurance. Prolonged hospitalizations and increased costs create burdens on children and their families, medical delivery systems, and third-party payers. Further exploration into the causes of these disparities is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Whittle
- Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston TX,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Michelle Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Heidi Russell
- Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston TX,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX,Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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Alvarez PM, Young LA, Mitchell M, Blakeney TG, Buse JB, Vu MB, Weaver MA, Rees J, Grimm K, Donahue KE. Health Literacy, Glycemic Control, and Physician-Advised Glucose Self-Monitoring Use in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Spectr 2018. [PMID: 30510390 PMCID: PMC6243228 DOI: 10.2337/ds17-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Objective To measure the association between health literacy and both patient-reported and clinical outcomes in patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. Research Design and Methods We surveyed patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (n = 448) from 15 primary care practices. The association between health literacy and patient-reported and clinical outcomes, including numeracy of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) use, how often physicians advised patients to conduct SMBG testing, and glycemic control (as measured by A1C), was investigated. Results Study participants included 448 patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes located within central North Carolina. Participants with limited health literacy had poorer glycemic control (A1C 7.7 ± 1.1% vs. 7.5 ± 1.0%, P = 0.016) despite using SMBG testing more frequently (daily SMBG testing 49.3 vs. 30.7%, P = 0.001) compared to individuals with adequate health literacy. The difference in how often physicians advised patients to conduct SMBG testing between limited and adequate health literacy groups was not significant (P = 0.68). Conclusion Limited health literacy was associated with poorer glycemic control and an increased frequency of SMBG testing in patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. There was no significant difference in how often physicians advised patients to conduct SMBG testing between patients with limited and adequate health literacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Alvarez
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Laura A Young
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.,Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Madeline Mitchell
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Tamara G Blakeney
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - John B Buse
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Maihan B Vu
- Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Mark A Weaver
- Departments of Medicine and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Jennifer Rees
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Kimberlea Grimm
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Katrina E Donahue
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.,Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
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