Search

Background: Since chronic kidney disease is highly insidious in the early stages, most diagnosed patients have already developed irreversible renal failure. There is a lack of effective implementation and standardization of health education management for patients with chronic kidney disease, and the impact of health education management on health information literacy is not yet known. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from March 2022 to March 2023. A total of 130 patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3–4 were selected from a tertiary hospital in Zhuhai via a convenience sampling method and were then randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The Health Information Literacy Questionnaire for Chronic Kidney Disease was used to assess the health literacy of the patients at month 0 and month 12. In addition, the renal function-related indices of the patients were measured before and after the intervention. The study adhered to SPIRIT guidelines. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in health information literacy, platelet count, estimated glomerular filtration rate, or albumin level. However, the intervention group showed a significant improvement in health behavioral status such as information acquisition, checkups, and physical activity. Subgroup analysis revealed that hemoglobin was significantly higher in non-employed patients than in the intervention group. There was a significant improvement in hemoglobin level after receiving health guidance in patients with intermediate education, and acquisition capacity and estimated glomerular filtration rate in the intervention group were lower than in the control group for patients with elementary education. Conclusion: Receiving health coaching helped to improve self-management behaviors and hemoglobin levels of patients with stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease. Education level is an important factor influencing the effectiveness of health coaching techniques. Trial registration: This study was prospectively registered in the China Clinical Trial Registry on November 10, 2021, with registration number: ChiCTR2100053103. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health literacy comprises an individual's ability to adequately access, understand and utilise health information, enabling effective navigation of the healthcare system. Low health literacy is a problem for people living with substance use disorders (SUDs). This study aims to examine whether health literacy changes for people discharged from specialist SUD treatment services. Two hundred thirty-one people recruited from residential SUD treatment services across New South Wales, Australia, completed a questionnaire upon entry into the service and again at 6 months post-treatment. Treatment outcomes were also measured. Three health literacy profiles were identified: lowest (n = 52, 22.5%), moderate (n = 111, 48.1%) and highest health literacy (n = 68, 29.4%). Lowest and moderate profiles showed improved health literacy at 6 months. However, the lowest profile still had significantly lower health literacy, quality of life and higher levels of psychological distress compared with participants in the highest profile at 6 months. People within the lowest health literacy profile improved, although they continued to experience lower health literacy and some poorer treatment outcomes. Health literacy interventions tailored for people within lowest health literacy profiles should be implemented and assessed for effectiveness within specialist SUD treatment services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

October is Health Literacy Month and is a time for organizations and individuals to promote the importance of maintaining and enhancing health. Now more than ever, we are seeing the importance of the health skills and competency in navigating a global pandemic and a system of social and racial injustice. As health educators it gives us a tremendous opportunity to deliver meaningful lessons that will impact our students for the rest of their lives. How can health educators teach students what it means to be health literate and to develop their health literacy? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to describe the activities performed during the health literacy month commemoration at the State University of Ceara, Brazil, during its University Week Events 2015-2017, and to reflect about successes, failures and perspectives from these events. The events focused on five major points: defining health literacy; describing assessments and measurements of health literacy; the importance of health literacy on professional practice; when the principles of health literacy should be practiced; and the significance of October as Health Literacy month. The Teach-Back method of communication was introduced, which not only serves as the initial step in starting the discussion on the importance of health literacy for patient empowerment during patient-clinician encounters, but also to assist institutions in developing pathways towards becoming health literate organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Georgia Health Sciences Library Association (GHSLA) and the Georgia Alliance for Health Literacy (GAHL) partnered to educate residents about reliable health information online to raise health literacy awareness across the state of Georgia. The two groups received a gubernatorial declaration designating October as Health Literacy Month in Georgia. Information was posted online and demonstration workshops were held. The networking opportunities that resulted have allowed for additional partnerships and grant support to address the vital health literacy information needs of those with health disparities through clinician training and additional workshops. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]