Possibilities and Measures to Improve Health Literacy
Condition: Health Care Utilization; Medication Compliance; Information Seeking Behavior
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Health literacy describes one's capability to understand and implement health information in
      daily practice. Hospital referral letters remain a main information tool for patients as well
      as physicians with information about therapeutic measures done during hospital stay as well
      as recommendations on drug intake, further therapies or diagnostics to be done after hospital
      discharge.

      With increasing medical knowledge, hospital referral letters have become more difficult to
      understand for patients and stakeholders alike. The aim of this study is to develop a
      patient-friendly referral letter that is easier to understand while transporting the same
      amount of information for patients as well as stakeholders.
    

Detailed description: 
      During the last decades healthcare systems had to face new challenges in patient care: Along
      with increasing life expectancy and better treatment options for many diseases also the
      amount of chronically ill elderly patients increased. Much is expected of this particular
      patient group regarding self-management and comprehension of their medical condition.
      However, also younger patients or parents can be overstrained with self-care demands. Recent
      research among the US population showed that poor health literacy is associated with more
      frequent healthcare utilization and expenditures, showing that poor health literacy also has
      impact on the healthcare system itself.

      In this respect, adequate patient information is crucial. With every hospital visit - after
      hospitalisation or in the outpatient clinic - patients usually receive a referral letter
      which ideally describes the present symptoms or illness, the treatment carried out and steps
      the patient should take by herself/himself in the near or distant future. In reality these
      notes are often written in medical language that is difficult or impossible to understand for
      lays and usually contain information that is intended rather for communication between
      physicians or therapists. However, it is difficult to find a middle course that provides
      patients with adequate information while at the same time not losing informational content of
      immediate relevance for all professions involved in patient care.

      Despite great efforts of all departments of the University Hospital Graz and all Styrian
      (KAGES) hospitals, adequate referral letters that also suffice the demands of stakeholders
      such as general practitioners, remains an issue needing further attention. Up to now, there
      has been no referral letter that provides both medical information for professionals as well
      as information that addresses the patient directly and is adapted to the respective medical
      knowledge.

      Aim and Hypothesis The aim of this study is to develop and test an improved referral letter
      within the KAGES-wide project "Entlassungsdokumentation NEU"
    

Intervention name(s): Survey based on questionnaire (self-designed)
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Participants are handed a questionnaire to asses comprehension of medical content provided in the referral letters.
Observational model: Case-Control
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        1000