Controversies in Hospital Infection Prevention National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy is a nationally representative assessment of English literacy among American adults age 16 and older. Sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NAAL is the nation's most comprehensive measure of adult literacy since the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). In 2003, over 19,000 adults participated in the national and state-level assessments, representing the entire population of U.S. adults who are age 16 and older, most in their homes and some in prisons from the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Approximately 1,200 inmates of federal and state prisons were assessed in order to provide separate estimates of literacy for the incarcerated population. By comparing results from 1992 and 2003, NAAL provides the first indicator in a decade of the nation's progress in adult literacy. NAAL Components NAAL includes a number of components that capture the breadth of adult literacy in the United States:
Health | Tests find 80% of chickens in Seattle-area groceries carry pathogens Most cooks know by now that raw chicken can be a bacterial time bomb. But tests commissioned by a Seattle law firm are bringing that message home. Out of 100 whole chickens purchased at Seattle-area grocery stores in March, 80 harbored at least one type of disease-causing bacteria, including campylobacter and salmonella. Ten percent of the samples tested positive for the same antibiotic-resistant strain of staphylococcus bacteria responsible for an epidemic of hospital infections. And organic chickens were just as likely as conventionally raised chickens to be tainted with a wide range of germs. The tests were paid for by Marler Clark, which built its legal reputation on food-safety cases. A study by Consumer Reports last year showed two-thirds of whole chickens purchased nationwide harbored salmonella or campylobacter, the leading bacterial causes of food poisoning. "I was intrigued by these studies and wanted to see if we were having the same issues," said attorney Bill Marler. The U.S.
Literacy and Health Outcomes: Summary of Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, No. 87 This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information. Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information. Under its Evidence-based Practice Program, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is developing scientific information for other agencies and organizations on which to base clinical guidelines, performance measures, and other quality improvement tools. Select for PDF version (200 KB). Introduction / Methods / Results / Discussion / Availability of Full Report / References Introduction Instruments for measuring literacy in the health care setting have focused on the ability to read and, in some cases, to use numbers. Return to Contents 1a.
Sunscreens help only so much Not necessarily, say the folks at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that assessed the safety and effectiveness of nearly 500 sunscreens last year. While these products can block harmful UV rays and prevent sunburn, which may lower the risk of skin cancer, “not all sunscreens are created equal, in terms of the level of protection they provide and also in terms of how safe are the actual ingredients,” says Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist at EWG. She adds that since the Food and Drug Administration has yet to finalize sunscreen regulations (a process underway since 1978), manufacturers are not required to show that their products work or to substantiate claims about them. “Everybody is using whatever label words they want . . . and [making] absolutely crazy statements about efficacy which are not substantiated,” Naidenko says. So all the hype about 100+ protection? Researchers at EWG have also been investigating the safety of sunscreens. So what ‘s the take-away here?
The test of functional health literacy in adults: ..a new instrument for measuring patients' literacy skills. This is the single point of sign-on to many KUMC-based web resources. After logging in below, you will be able to use other CAS-enabled sites without being prompted. Forgot your password? Do not bookmark this page. For assistance contact Customer Support at 913-588-7995. Access to the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) network is restricted to employees, students, or other individuals authorized by KUMC or its affiliates. KUMC monitors the use of this system for purposes related to security management, system maintenance, system troubleshooting, and license compliance.
Baycare Convenient Care clinics Pew Internet Report: Adults and Social Network Websites One third (35%) of American adult internet users have a profile on an online social network site, four times as many as four years ago, but still much lower than the 65% of online American teens who use social networks The share of adult internet users who have a profile on an online social network site has more than quadrupled in the past four years — from 8% in 2005 to 35% now, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s December 2008 tracking survey. While media coverage and policy attention focus heavily on how children and young adults use social network sites, adults still make up the bulk of the users of these websites. Adults make up a larger portion of the US population than teens, which is why the 35% number represents a larger number of users than the 65% of online teens who also use online social networks. Specifically, our findings suggest that: Young people are much more likely than older adults to use social networks. This data memo is based on two surveys.
Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit How can this toolkit help? Medical care is complicated and many people struggle with understanding their medication, instructions, and follow-up plans. This 6 minute video shows just how little patients can understand. Start using it today! Download Entire Toolkit (226 pages) This link will provide you with a pdf of the entire toolkit that you can save to your computer. Are you using the toolkit? What are others saying about the toolkit? “Before reviewing this toolkit, we had never heard the term 'health literacy'. -Office manager, rural family practice clinic “When we introduced this toolkit to our staff they thought 'oh great, more responsibilities to cram into our busy day.' -MD, urban pediatric practice Prepared for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,AHRQ Publication No. 10-0046-EF Cardiology and Rheumatology These toolkits can be accessed electronically or downloaded as PDF files. Cardiology Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit
Literacy - Quick Guide to Health Literacy What is health literacy? Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.1 Health literacy is dependent on individual and systemic factors: Communication skills of lay persons and professionals Lay and professional knowledge of health topics Culture Demands of the healthcare and public health systems Demands of the situation/context Health literacy affects people's ability to: Navigate the healthcare system, including filling out complex forms and locating providers and services Share personal information, such as health history, with providers Engage in self-care and chronic-disease management Understand mathematical concepts such as probability and risk Health literacy includes numeracy skills. In addition to basic literacy skills, health literacy requires knowledge of health topics. Back to Top What is literacy? What is plain language?