The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44194

Vanessa Calderon-Rosado, PhD¹, Sarita Malik Bhalotra, MD, PhD², and Phyllis H Mutschler, PhD¹. (1) National Center on Women and Aging, Brandeis University, MS 035, Waltham, MA 02454, 781-736-3943, vcrosado@brandeis.edu, (2) Schneider Institute for Health Policy, Brandeis University, Mailstop 035, 415 South Street, The Heller School, Waltham, MA 02454

This pilot study examined how health literacy might be related to unanswered health needs and health concerns of older women of color. Focus groups were conducted with a sample of non-institutionalized Latina and African American females age 50 and over. Fifty-two percent rated their overall health status as fair or poor, citing arthritis as the most common chronic health condition (34%), followed by hypertension (23%). Nearly half of the women showed marginal or inadequate health literacy, particularly among Latinas. We found that physicians continue to rely mostly on oral communication of medical information, behavior modification and medications use. Written information did not seem to increase these women's understanding of the information. Women felt that physicians go over these instructions too quickly, not allowing them to fully understand and process the information, and thus to ask appropriate questions. Overall, women said that they did not feel comfortable in voicing their concerns directly with the doctor or the system. Many opted for not coming back, trying to change doctors or, even worse, to go untreated. Our findings suggest a potential negative association between health literacy and health outcomes. Women in our sample had low health literacy, and a series of unanswered health concerns that could become a major risk in successfully managing their health and illness. Further research is needed to better understand the possible dangerous relationship between health literacy and health outcomes for vulnerable and underserved older minority women. Implications for public health initiatives will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, the audience will be able to

• Understand issues of health literacy among older minority populations, particularly women;
• Understand issues older women of color face in medical encounters; and
• Identify public health initiatives to address the concerns of these women.

Keywords: Aging, Health Literacy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.