Health Literacy and the Comprehension of Printed Patient Education Materials for African Americans with Diabetes

How health information is communicated to individuals with chronic disease is very important. Adults with low literacy are more likely to have complex health problems, live in poverty, and have fewer years of education, resulting in communication difficulties that can affect health outcomes. This issue presents a serious problem because printed patient education materials are often used as a primary health communication source in providing education about management of various chronic diseases. While an association between health literacy levels and health outcomes has been established, there is little empirical basis for the assumption that low health literacy is actually a causal factor in poor health outcomes and not merely confounded with low socioeconomic status. One mechanism linking health literacy to health outcomes might be comprehension of patient education materials. There is a need to demonstrate that individuals' health literacy predicts their ability to comprehend printed patient education materials. This study explored the relationship between health literacy and comprehension of information presented in a printed patient education booklet for African Americans with diabetes. In addition, the effect of educational attainment on comprehension and health literacy also was examined. Study participants (n=71) were recruited from two churches in East Georgia. Statistically significant relationships were found between: health literacy and comprehension; educational attainment and comprehension; and educational attainment and health literacy. These findings support that healthcare providers and health educators should be cognizant of their target population's health literacy level and tailor education interventions towards their population.