Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Impact of health literacy on socioeconomic and racial differences in health in an elderly population.
Differences in health literacy levels by race and education are widely hypothesized to contribute to health disparities, but there is little direct evidence. ⋯ We found that health literacy explained a small to moderate fraction of the differences in health status and, to a lesser degree, receipt of vaccinations that would normally be attributed to educational attainment and/or race if literacy was not considered.
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Comparative Study
Importance of adult literacy in understanding health disparities.
In several recent studies, the importance of education and race in explaining health-related disparities has diminished when literacy was considered. This relationship has not been tested in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. ⋯ The inclusion of adult literacy reduces the explanatory power of crucial variables in health disparities research. Literacy inequity may be an important factor in health disparities, and a powerful avenue for alleviation efforts, which has been mistakenly attributed to other factors.
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Comparative Study
Low literacy impairs comprehension of prescription drug warning labels.
Adverse events resulting from medication error are a serious concern. Patients' literacy and their ability to understand medication information are increasingly seen as a safety issue. ⋯ Patients with low literacy had difficulty understanding prescription medication warning labels. Patients of all literacy levels had better understanding of warning labels that contained single-step versus multiple-step instructions. Warning labels should be developed with consumer participation, especially with lower literate populations, to ensure comprehension of short, concise messages created with familiar words and recognizable icons.