Health literacy

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Assessing Health Literacy

created by the Penn Minority Aging Research for Community Health (MARCH), University of Pennsylvania

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In recent years health literacy has emerged as an important variable that can potentially explain many health disparities, as well as observed differences in health utilization and outcomes. An extended discussion of the topic would clarify the distinctions between literacy and health literacy. Excellent overviews of the topic are listed below:

• Nielsen-Bohlman L. Panzer AM, Lindig DA (Eds). Health Literacy. A Prescription to End Confusion. Washington DC, The National Academies Press, 2004.

This book is the result of an IOM panel investigating the health outcomes associated with literacy. An excellent review of multiple issues with assessing health literacy.

There are two widely used instruments for health literacy. Click links for a description and references.

• The Shortened Test of Functional Health Literacy Assessment (S-TOFHLA)
• Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM)
• Other health literacy instrument references

Last updated April 2009

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