June L. Smith|Jeannie Haggerty
Literacy in Primary Care Populations
McGill University|Université de Montréal
almost half canadians experience difficulty using print media according 1994 international adult literacy survey objectives estimate prevalence lowliteracy patients practice determine whether reading grade level associated selfperceived health status primary care evaluate reading difficulty commonly used patient education pamphletswe surveyed random sample 229 patients aged 18 85 years presenting scheduled walkin care main outcome measures reading ability estimated word decoding skill validated rapid estimate adult literacy medicine realm selfperceived health status using coopwonca functional health measures assessed reading difficulty 120 commonly used patient education pamphlets using simple measure gobbledygook smog formulathe prevalence lowliterate patients 9 poor reading ability english likely among patients 45 years age completed high school among whose maternal language neither english french immigrants realm scores selfperceived health weakly correlated significant statistically mean reading grade level pamphlets grade 115 sd 15 seventyeight percent pamphlets required least high school reading levelliteracy levels higher expected patient population finding may due rapid assessment tool used may underestimated difficulty using print media clearly vast majority commonly used patient education materials would meet needs lowliterate patients may likely experience poorer health providers need sensitive reading limitations patients patient education materials written lower reading level