Health Literacy Intervention for Low Income Uninsured Population

Background: Health literacy (HL) requires basic skills in writing, reading, numeracy, and communication all within a health context (Berkman et al., 2011). HL is a critical element for individuals to take an active role in managing their health. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy found only 12% of adults had a “proficient” HL level. Hispanics were found to be at greatest risk for lower HL than all other ethnic groups (Kutner, Greenberg, Jin, & Paulsen, 2006). Low HL can lead to poor health outcomes including: decreased utilization of preventative services, difficulty in managing chronic conditions, and increased disparities in access to health care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2010). Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create a HL sensitive health presentation and handouts at a clinic for a low-income uninsured predominately Hispanic population in both Spanish and English. Method: The presentation was created using evidence-based resources concerning the three most common reasons for clinic visits. The presentation will be shown on a large screen television in the waiting room. Implications to Practice: Results, lessons learned, and data from this project will be shared by the executive director with similar clinics throughout the state in an attempt to share the knowledge gained and benefits reaped from this project. Working hard to prevent progression or development of health problems like dangerously high blood pressure, and preventing unnecessary visits to the emergency department is crucial in increasing quality of life and improving cost containment in this and other vulnerable populations