TY - JOUR
T1 - Literacy in patients with a chronic disease
T2 - Systemic lupus erythematosus and the reading level of patient education materials
AU - Hearth-Holmes, Michelene
AU - Murphy, Peggy W.
AU - Davis, Terry C.
AU - Nandy, Indrani
AU - Elder, Celeste G.
AU - Broadwell, Louise H.
AU - Wolf, Robert E.
PY - 1997/12
Y1 - 1997/12
N2 - Objective. (1) To assess literacy in a sample of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); (2) to evaluate the reading level of patient education materials specific to SLE; and (3) to compare patient literacy levels to the readability of materials written for patients with SLE. Methods. Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, a reading recognition test, was given to 94 patients with SLE. Socioeconomic status was assessed using Nam-Powers. Patient education materials frequently used with these patients were assessed for readability grade level. Results. The patients with SLE were reading on an average 7th-8th grade level; their average educational level (last grade completed in school) was 11.9. The average socioeconomic status (SES) according to the Nam-Powers assessment was 43, indicating high school completed, no college, an income range of $5000- $10,000, and occupations such as household workers and laborers. Multiple linear regression revealed that race and education correlated with reading (p < 0.001), but age, sex, and SES did not. The readability of surveyed SLE patient education materials ranged from 7th-15th grade level. Eighty-nine percent were written at a 9th grade level or above and were therefore inappropriate for about half the patients surveyed. Conclusion. Reading skills below high school level existed for 48% of patients surveyed, yet only 11% of SLE patient education materials were written below a 9th grade level. Current SLE patient education materials are written on too high a level for many patients. Identifying patients with low literacy may help provide more appropriate patient education and better medical care.
AB - Objective. (1) To assess literacy in a sample of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); (2) to evaluate the reading level of patient education materials specific to SLE; and (3) to compare patient literacy levels to the readability of materials written for patients with SLE. Methods. Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, a reading recognition test, was given to 94 patients with SLE. Socioeconomic status was assessed using Nam-Powers. Patient education materials frequently used with these patients were assessed for readability grade level. Results. The patients with SLE were reading on an average 7th-8th grade level; their average educational level (last grade completed in school) was 11.9. The average socioeconomic status (SES) according to the Nam-Powers assessment was 43, indicating high school completed, no college, an income range of $5000- $10,000, and occupations such as household workers and laborers. Multiple linear regression revealed that race and education correlated with reading (p < 0.001), but age, sex, and SES did not. The readability of surveyed SLE patient education materials ranged from 7th-15th grade level. Eighty-nine percent were written at a 9th grade level or above and were therefore inappropriate for about half the patients surveyed. Conclusion. Reading skills below high school level existed for 48% of patients surveyed, yet only 11% of SLE patient education materials were written below a 9th grade level. Current SLE patient education materials are written on too high a level for many patients. Identifying patients with low literacy may help provide more appropriate patient education and better medical care.
KW - Literacy
KW - Patient education
KW - Reading
KW - Systemic lupus erythematosus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031438376&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031438376&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9415638
AN - SCOPUS:0031438376
SN - 0315-162X
VL - 24
SP - 2335
EP - 2339
JO - Journal of Rheumatology
JF - Journal of Rheumatology
IS - 12
ER -