Blogs

Create Effective Health Literacy Education Programs for Patients

Are you developing a health literacy education program for patients?

We’ll discuss the meaning and impact of effective health literacy education programs for patients.

We’ll review how to make a health literacy education program succeed.

We’ll also look at some examples of effective health literacy education programs for patients.

(Note: This article doesn’t cover the one-on-one type of patient education that occurs during health visits. To learn more about that topic, see Tips for Clear Communication in Healthcare.)

What are effective health literacy education programs for patients?

Let’s start by discussing what makes patient-facing health literacy education programs succeed.

Effective programs promote personal health literacy

Successful health literacy education programs for patients improve learners’ personal health literacy by boosting their health knowledge, skills, and beliefs. In the words of Healthy People 2030, these programs teach patients how to “find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.” For instance, they might teach patients how to manage their diabetes, enroll in a health plan, or find accurate health information online.

What is the impact of effective health literacy education programs for patients?

We’ve looked at what makes patient-facing health literacy education programs succeed. Now let’s discuss why these programs are so important. Promoting personal health literacy has benefits for patients, as well as for healthcare organizations and providers. Here are some of them.

Better patient self-management = better health outcomes

Boosting personal health literacy empowers patients to manage their health. For instance, it helps them correctly measure their medicine doses. Better self-management, in turn, improves health outcomes, such as lowering the rate of deaths caused by heart problems.

Better use of healthcare services = more efficient, less costly healthcare

At the same time, boosting personal health literacy improves use of healthcare services. That is, it increases use of preventive care (such as getting flu shots), while decreasing avoidable hospitalizations and use of emergency care. This makes healthcare more efficient and less costly.

Higher rewards for healthcare providers and organizations

Value-based programs (such as Medicare) reward healthcare providers and organizations for scoring well on such measures as health outcomes, patient safety, efficiency, and cost. Better scores mean higher rewards.

What are some tips for making a health literacy education program succeed?

We’ve discussed why patient-facing health literacy education programs are so important. Now let’s review how to make a health literacy education program succeed.

Follow these tips:

• Provide accurate information.
• Use effective communication.

• Use a variety of learning methods.
• Use co-creation.
• Use a tailored approach. 
  • Identify your learners.
  • Identify your learners’ needs.
  • Address your learners’ needs.
• Use a systemic process.
  
  

(Note: To learn more details about these tips, see Elements of an Effective Health Literacy Education Program.)

What are some examples of effective health literacy education programs for patients?

We’ve reviewed how to make a health literacy education program succeed. Now let’s look at five examples of effective health literacy education programs for patients.

Example 1: Ask Me 3

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement created Ask Me 3: Good Questions for Your Good Health. This program teaches patients and families to ask their providers three questions:

• What is my main problem?
• What do I need to do?
• Why is it important for me to do this?
  
  

Ask Me 3 helps patients become more active members of their healthcare team. It encourages them to ask important questions to better understand their health problems and what they can do to stay healthy. The program also seeks to improve communication among patients, families, and providers.

The program includes brochures and posters. It’s available online in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Example 2: Culinary Literacy Center

The Free Library of Philadelphia runs the Culinary Literacy Center, which is open to community members from all backgrounds. The Center aims to advance health literacy through cooking and eating healthy food. Since 2014, the Center has offered hundreds of programs that invite community members to learn by cooking together.

Example 3: Prevent T2

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed Prevent T2 to help prevent type 2 diabetes. This curriculum promotes modest weight loss (5-7%) and increased physical activity through a 12-month lifestyle change program.

The curriculum is available online in English and Spanish. It has 26 modules. Each module has a coach guide and a participant guide. CDC-recognized organizations can deliver the curriculum.

Example 4: Staying Healthy & Staying Healthy for Beginners

The Florida Literacy Coalition developed two curricula on healthcare and healthy living for English language learners:

• Staying Healthy for Beginners is for English language learners at the high beginning level.
• Staying Healthy is for English language learners at the low intermediate (and above) level.

Both curricula can be integrated into ESOL programs. They come with a student resource book, a teacher’s guide, and pre/post tests. Topics include healthcare, doctors, medicine, healthy food, and staying healthy.

Example 5: Wash & Learn

Libraries Without Borders leads the Wash and Learn Initiative (WALI) in partnership with libraries, local organizations, and the Coin Laundry Association. The initiative aims to reach low-income people where they are. It’s housed at laundromats throughout the United States.

At each participating laundromat, WALI:

• Installs a media center that has books and computers. 
• Teaches librarians and local organizations how to use laundromats for fun, participatory education on topics such as health. 
• Seeks to address the specific needs of the laundromat’s customers. For instance, WALI might provide information on healthy food to customers who are at risk of heart disease. 
  
  
  

Summary

We just went over how to create effective health literacy education programs for patients. Here’s a quick recap.

Meaning of effective health literacy education programs for patients 

Effective programs for patients improve learners’ personal health literacy by boosting their health knowledge, skills, and beliefs.

Impact of effective health literacy education programs for patients

• Better patient self-management = better health outcomes
• Better use of healthcare services = more efficient, less costly healthcare
• Higher rewards for healthcare providers and organizations
  
  

How to make the program succeed

• Provide accurate information.
• Use effective communication.
• Use a variety of learning methods.
• Use co-creation.
• Use a tailored approach. 
• Use a systemic process.
  
  

Examples of effective health literacy education programs for patients

We looked at five examples of effective health literacy education programs for patients.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Sophia Wong, for her invaluable peer review and expert feedback, which significantly contributed to the enhancement of this article.

Related Content

#Education
#PatientEducation
#IHAArticle