Understanding and responding to the health literacy needs of older immigrants

Older immigrants face many obstacles in their efforts to access healthcare in the U.S. due to their lack of health literacy skills. In order to learn about the nature of their health communication challenges and develop approaches to address their needs, researchers from Project SHINE, a program of the Temple University Center for Intergenerational, conducted a needs assessment with over 100 older immigrants from seven ethnolinguistic groups. The immigrant elders who participated in the focus groups and interviews through this investigation told poignant stories illustrating their struggles related to health literacy and communication. Many could not understand what a doctor said to them during an office visit, had no access to competent bilingual interpreters, and were not able to ask for clarification. Breakdowns in communication were the source of many healthcare-related mishaps reported by the elders

In response to these challenges, Project SHINE worked with immigrant community organizations, ESL instructors and faculty members in health professions in five cities to produce and pilot comprehensive ESL Health Units specifically designed for older immigrants and refugees. Service-learning projects were developed at eight higher education institutions' health profession programs in partnership with their immigrant CBOs and mobilized over 1,000 health professions students from various disciplines including Gerontology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Medical Interpreting, Nutrition and Pharmacology.

This presentation will share the highlights of the needs assessment and explore the interdisciplinary strategies utilized to respond to the health literacy needs of older immigrant with limited English proficiency.