Impact of health literacy on heart failure

Purpose of the Project The heart failure team at the DNP project site had recently started measuring health literacy levels of the heart failure patients and providing a simplified educational session with a handout prepared with a Flesch-Kincaid level of 2.9. Methodology The DNP project manager analyzed the effect of providing modified educational sessions based on health literacy on 30-day all cause readmissions, post discharge emergency department visits, and the responses on a phone call post-discharge phone call results for a sample of patients during the preintervention period, those without health literacy assessment, and those in the postintervention period who did have the assessment. Results It was suggested that modification of teaching methods based upon health literacy score reduced 30-day all cause readmissions in those patients with a LACE score of greater than 11 (X2=4.51; p= 0.034). However, the modified teaching methods did not result in a significant reduction in 30-day ED visits. Patients’ score on postdischarge self-care components increased in the post-intervention period as opposed to the pre-intervention period (X2= 1.405; p = 0.236), Implications for Practice The findings support the use of a health literacy appraisal prior to any educational sessions while hospitalized. It is recommended to include a health literacy assessment prior to initiation of educational sessions for a patient admitted with ADHF.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference