Low Health Literacy
Authors: Lindsay Rosenfeld
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2011)

Letters6 December 2011Low Health LiteracyLindsay Rosenfeld, ScD, ScMLindsay Rosenfeld, ScD, ScMFrom Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-155-11-201112060-00021 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Berkman and colleagues' comprehensive review (1) updated the literature on health literacy since 2004. I appreciated this substantial undertaking and would like to include an update. The authors state that “[n]o evidence concerning oral health literacy (speaking and listening skills) and outcomes was found.” However, literature that addresses oral literacy and health outcomes does, indeed, exist.Several studies have focused on the importance of dialogue in health by addressing oral and aural literacy. Four articles (2–5) have discussed measures of oral literacy. Two studies examining the relationship between oral literacy and health outcomes, measured skills by using ...References1. Berkman ND, Sheridan SL, Donahue KE, Halpern DJ, Crotty K. Low health literacy and health outcomes: an updated systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155:97-107. [PMID: 21768583] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Roter DL, Erby LH, Larson S, Ellington L. Assessing oral literacy demand in genetic counseling dialogue: preliminary test of a conceptual framework. Soc Sci Med. 2007;65:1442-57. [PMID: 17614177] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Roter DL, Erby L, Larson S, Ellington L. Oral literacy demand of prenatal genetic counseling dialogue: Predictors of learning. Patient Educ Couns. 2009;75:392-7. [PMID: 19250792] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Roter DL. Oral literacy demand of health care communication: challenges and solutions. Nurs Outlook. 2011;59:79-84. [PMID: 21402203] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Koch-Weser S, Rudd RE, Dejong W. Quantifying word use to study health literacy in doctor-patient communication. J Health Commun. 2010;15:590-602. [PMID: 20812122] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Rosenfeld L, Rudd R, Emmons KM, Acevedo-García D, Martin L, Buka S. Beyond reading alone: the relationship between aural literacy and asthma management. Patient Educ Couns. 2011;82:110-6. [PMID: 20399060] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Martin LT, Schonlau M, Haas A, Derose KP, Rudd R, Loucks EB, et al. Literacy skills and calculated 10-year risk of coronary heart disease. J Gen Intern Med. 2011;26:45-50. [PMID: 20809155] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115.Disclosures:Grant (money to institution): W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Payment for lectures including on speakers bureaus: Health Literacy Workshops, Health Impact Assessment Workshops; Consultancy: Literacy Information and Communication System, Kent State University. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoLow Health Literacy and Health Outcomes: An Updated Systematic Review Nancy D. Berkman , Stacey L. Sheridan , Katrina E. Donahue , David J. Halpern , and Karen Crotty Low Health Literacy Nancy D. Berkman Low Health Literacy Rima E. Rudd Low Health Literacy Hema Padmanabhan Low Health Literacy Joy C. Burnette Metrics Cited ByJudgment skills, a missing component in health literacy: development of a tool for asthma patients in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland 6 December 2011Volume 155, Issue 11Page: 794-795KeywordsAsthmaConflicts of interestCoronary heart diseaseHealth information technologyLiteracyMotivationNumeracyOral health ePublished: 6 December 2011 Issue Published: 6 December 2011 CopyrightCopyright © 2011 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...