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- Title
Brief report: Resident recognition of low literacy as a risk factor in hospital readmission.
- Authors
Powell, Caroline K.; Kripalani, Sunil
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Low literacy is associated with poor self-management of disease and increased hospitalization, yet few studies have explored the extent to which physicians consider literacy in their patient care.<bold>Objective: </bold>To examine trainee recognition of low literacy as a potential factor in patient adherence and hospital readmission.<bold>Design and Participants: </bold>Randomized study of 98 Internal Medicine residents and medical students. Trainees reviewed a case history and completed a questionnaire pertaining to a fictional patient's hospital readmission. Case version A contained clues to suggest limited patient literacy skills, while version B did not. Responses were reviewed for mention of low literacy and educational strategies recommended for low-literate patients.<bold>Results: </bold>Few trainees raised the possibility of low patient literacy, even when provided clues (25% in Group A vs 4% in Group B, P=.003). Furthermore, while most trainees listed patient education as an important means of preventing another readmission, only 16% suggested using a strategy recommended for low-literate adults.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Few trainees recognized low literacy as a potential factor in patient nonadherence and hospital readmission, and few recommended low-literate educational strategies. Medical residents and students may benefit from additional training in the recognition and counseling of low-literate patients.
- Subjects
LITERACY; HEALTH; MEDICAL education; PATIENT education; HOSPITAL care; PATIENT compliance; MEDICAL students; ACADEMIC medical centers; COMPARATIVE studies; INTERNSHIP programs; LANGUAGE arts; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; PHYSICIAN-patient relations; RESEARCH; RESEARCH funding; HEALTH self-care; EVALUATION research; PATIENT refusal of treatment; EDUCATIONAL attainment; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; PATIENT readmissions
- Publication
JGIM: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2005, Vol 20, Issue 11, p1042
- ISSN
0884-8734
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s11606-005-0246-6