Inala Indigenous Health Service: health literacy study

Introduction

Obesity is becoming an increasingly important global health problem, including among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Overcoming obesity and managing one’s weight requires an adequate level of health literacy to enable the person to read and understand health materials and use the information to assist in reducing weight to a healthy range. This project is a first step to screen for health literacy levels (written information) and describe types of verbal communication between patients and health professionals. The project is based at the Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, also known as Inala Indigenous Health Service. This is a Queensland Health primary health care service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Aim 

This study aims to describe the profile of health literacy amongst patients attending the Centre of Excellence Clinic; and to identify the existence of any relationship between the patient’s level of health literacy and effectiveness of the communication with health professionals.

Research questions

1. What proportion of adult patients aged 18 years and older, attending the Centre of Excellence experience low and high levels of health literacy?

2. What proportion of patients attending the Centre of Excellence experience difficulties when communicating with their doctors and nurses?

3. Is there a relationship between levels of health literacy and verbal communication of medical information by health care professionals?

Outcome measures

The findings from the study will provide the following information that can be used to enhance the delivery of care to patients attending the Centre of Excellence Clinic.

1. Proportion of patients attending the service who have low and high levels of health literacy.
2. Proportion of patients who identify positive and negative communication experiences from health professionals.
3. Association between health literacy levels and positive and negative communication experiences with health professionals.

Method of data collection

All patients aged 18 years and over, attending the Centre of Excellence between 9.30 and 1500 hours, Monday to Friday during the four-month data collection period will be approached by the Senior Research Officer or an Indigenous Research Officer as soon as the patient has settled down in the waiting area following presentation to the reception. A total sample of 400 patients will be included in the study.

Information about the study will be provided verbally and interest in participation will be sought from eligible patients. Patients showing an interest in participating in the study will be provided an information sheet about the study and given time to read it. All patients wishing to participate will be asked to complete the demographic questions and Brief Health Literacy Screen survey. Patients who have attended the Clinic at least once in the previous 12 months will also complete the nine communication items of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey. Each patient will complete the survey once only.

Audit report

The data will be entered and analysed to prepare a report to be fed back to the service providers for reflection and discussion at a practice meeting.  

Analysis

The report will describe the frequency of adequate and inadequate health literacy overall; proportion of patients experiencing positive and negative experiences with communication with their doctor; and types of communication problems experienced. Any significant association between low and high levels of health literacy and proportions of patients experiencing difficulties with communication and health information provided by health professionals will be described.

Ethical approval has been sought to conduct this study from a Human Research and Ethics Committee. Recruitment of patients is complete. 

Contact

For more information please contact Dr Prabha Lakhan: prabha.lakhan@health.qld.gov.au.