The problem with the term "limited health literacy" is that it really  
doesn't mean anything.  No matter where your limits are, you do have  
limits, so *everyone* has "limited health literacy."

One option for this kind of discussion is not to label the consumer at  
all.  Rather, describe the materials.  Different materials require  
different levels of health literacy to be comprehended.  If the  
materials are targeted for a literacy level that is, say, one standard  
deviation below the measured mean level of the population, you'd be  
able to reach about 75% of that population.

And, it is certainly true that stress affects what people comprehend.   
I've probably worked with several hundred people in spinal cord  
rehab.  Virtually all of them "heard" the ER doctor tell them that  
they would walk out.  Yet, I'm sure that ER doctors aren't saying any  
such thing, at least not that commonly.  I'm willing to bet that the  
doctor said something like, "You're going to be fine," meaning "you'll  
live," and the individual, concerned about not being able to feel  
their legs, interprets that as "you'll be able to walk."

You need to have material that the client can interpret on their best  
of days or they will never hear, and you need to repeat the message  
over and over until they can hear it, as well as understand it.

Denis Anson, MS, OTR

On Apr 17, 2008, at 3:24 PM, Johnston-Lloyd, Linda (HRSA) wrote:

>

> Nicola,

> I agree with you as I feel low literacy may denote a stigma to some

> people.

>

> In the HRSA Unified Health Communication course, we agreed to use

> "limited heath literacy" it may be limited by worry about your care or

> diagnosis or inability to understand the words or stress with a  

> visit to

> the doctor where you have received bad news, etc. any number of  

> reasons

> can affect one's literacy at a given time.

> http://www.hrsa.gov/healthliteracy/training.htm

>

>

> Linda Johnston Lloyd, HRSA Health Literacy Coordinator ~HRSA Center  

> for

> Quality ~ Room 7-100 5600 Fishers Lane ~ Rockville, MD 20857

> p: 301-443-0831~ f: 301-443-9795 ljohnston-lloyd at hrsa.gov ~ www.hrsa.gov

>

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Davies, Nicola [mailto:NDavies at dthr.ab.ca]

> Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 1:19 PM

> To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List

> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1920] Re: Terminology, Labelling and Naming

>

> I have a question for the list - just an informal survey.

>

> How do you feel about referring to the people we tailor materials  

> for as

> "low literate" or "low health literate"? I have read lots of excellent

> opinion pieces on naming of people with tangible diseases; e.g.,  

> "people

> with diabetes" rather than "diabetics". However, using the phrase

> "people who have low literacy" or "People with low health literacy"  

> just

> doesn't ring fair, simply because we have already established that

> literacy is not a personal issue, but rather a social one, and  

> cannot be

> owned wholly by the individual we are referring to.

> So, how do you refer to the people we are ultimately working for?

>

> I am looking forward to seeing what you all think.

>

> Regards,

> Nicola

>

> Nicola Davies, BA

> Health Literacy Specialist

> Wellness Centre Coordinator

> Consumer Health Information Technician

> ndavies at dthr.ab.ca

> (403) 352-7643

> Red Deer Regional Hospital

>        3942-50A Ave

>        Red Deer, AB

>        T4N 4E7

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Champ-Blackwell,

> Siobhan

> Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 9:42 AM

> To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List

> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1918] FW: [caphis] Fw: [NPInfo] iPods for

> PatientEducation

>

>

> This email has gone through several listservs, i am just sending on  

> the

> original. Pretty interesting use of ipods. I like that the video shows

> an older person using it.

> Siobhan

>

>

>

> ----- Forwarded Message ----

> From: "repyke at infionline.net" <repyke at infionline.net>

> To: Telehealth-L <TELEHEALTH at LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG>

> Cc: NP Info <npinfo at nurse.net>; EHEALTH <EHEALTH at LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG>;

> nrsing-l <nrsing-l at mailman.amia.org>; CONSUMER-HEALTH-INFORMATICS

> <CONSUMER-HEALTH-INFORMATICS at JISCMAIL.AC.UK>

> Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 5:58:29 PM

> Subject: [NPInfo] iPods for Patient Education

>

> Dear All,

>

> There is an interesting video clippng on how Grayson H. Wheatley III,

> M.D.,a cardiovascular surgeon at the Arizona Heart Institute, uses  

> video

> iPods to educate his patients about diet, exercise, heart and surgical

> procedures.

>

> You can view the clip at

>

> http://www.nursezone.com/Nursing-News-Events/media-library.aspx

>

> Thank you very much.

>

> Regards

> Jai

>

> --

> A.U.Jai Ganesh,

> Project Coordinator,

> Telemedicine & eHealth,

> Prasanthi Nilayam.

> India.

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

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> Email delivered to ljohnston-lloyd at hrsa.gov

> ----------------------------------------------------

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>