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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
3309.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - Table 10

Abstract #112180

Computerized patient education in a community-based tuberculosis clinic

Ricki Lacy, MS, RN1, Yadira Ramos2, Elisa Friedman, MS2, and Lisa M. Montuori, RN, MSN, MPH2. (1) Cambridge Health Department, 119 Windsor Street, Ground Level, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617-665-3819, rickilacy@hotmail.com, (2) Department of Community Affairs, Cambridge Health Alliance, 230 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143

Reading literacy correlates positively with health status and is an important component of health literacy, the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information necessary for effective disease self-management. Low literacy populations are at risk for adverse health outcomes since they have difficulty accessing medical care, communicating with providers, and following treatment instructions. Low literacy presents particular challenges to public health workers treating patients with tuberculosis (TB). Individuals at highest risk for TB often come from populations that have difficulty accessing and comprehending health information, yet patient participation in treatment is a key factor in controlling the spread of the disease.

To address this issue, Cambridge Health Alliance developed a touchscreen computerized program using MacromediaŽ Authorware to improve office-based patient education in its TB clinic. The program provides a strategy to improve patient knowledge prior to the clinical encounter, enabling patients to better interact with providers about their treatment needs. Program data shows that patients using this TB module were more knowledgeable about TB, seemed better prepared to ask providers questions during visits, and were more likely to say that their educational concerns had been addressed compared to usual practice patients. This presentation will address the process of developing modules for low literacy patients, strategies to integrate technology into clinical practice, and the advantages and challenges of using technology to address barriers to effective patient education.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Computer-Assisted, Patient Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Handout (.ppt format,

Handout (.ppt format,

Programs, Projects and Paradigms for Health Promotion

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA