Traci A. Hart|Amy Chesser|Jennifer Wipperman|Rachel Wilson|Rick Kellerman
Health Literacy Assessment via STOFHLA
Wichita State University|University of Kansas|University of Kansas|University of Kansas|University of Kansas
backgroundlow health literacy affects onethird american adults resulting poor physicianpatient communication worse health outcomes increased medical costsmany physicians uninformed patients health literacy statuscurrent paperbased surveys require extra staff time resources administration computerbased survey may provide efficient assessment increase provider awarenessthe study assessed efficacy computerbased health literacy test compared established paperbased format use office settingmethodsa prospective nonblinded randomized experimental design conducteda brief demographic survey health literacy test stofhla administered 100 adult subjects midwestern family medicine residency clinicrecruitment flyers distributed office eligible willing patients randomized one two groupsfifty participants administered paper test 50 administered computerbased testresultsthe majority subjects adequate health literacy 85 completed test within allotted time period 82when comparing paper computer groups statistically significant differences demographics test scores completion timeconclusionsa computerbased health literacy test effective established paperbased format assess health literacy family medicine office populationfuture research studies investigate impact patient health literacy scores available physician prior office visit may affect communication compliance health outcomes