205959 Using an Elaborated Model of Health Literacy to Design an Educational Website about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 5:00 PM

Christina Zarcadoolas, PhD , Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Lisa Littman, MD, MPH , Department of Community and Preventive Medicine; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Andrea Rothenberg, MS, LCSW , Department of Health Education, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Adam Jacobs, MD , Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Mount Sinai Hospital, New york, NY
Sarah Rubinstein, MPH, CHES , (formerly) Department of Health Education, (formerly) Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Rennie Gallo, BS , MPH Program, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Bryttney Bailey, BS , MPH Program, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Stephanie Poliansky, BS , MPH Program, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Mari Umpierre, PhD, LCSW , Preventive Medicine Department, Social Work Division, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Rhoda Sperling, MD , Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Background/Significance: A vaccine to prevent HPV infection with the four types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) responsible for the majority of cervical cancers and genital warts was approved by the FDA in 2006. There are many challenges to obtaining and using information about HPV and HPV vaccination including socio-cultural beliefs and attitudes about sexually transmitted disease, personal responsibility, and issues of new medical knowledge. We did not find these issues addressed in standard health education materials.

Objective/Purpose: Our objective was to use an elaborated model of health literacy to create an educational website about HPV that was matched to the health literacy needs of the target audience of urban women ages 18-26

Methods: Focus groups (three groups, 22 women total) and usability testing (11 women total) were conducted to develop the website. Twenty-seven women used the website and completed evaluation surveys.

Results: Qualitative data revealed that several ways to frame the medical information grounded in health literacy domains were found to be compelling to the target audience. Three frames were favored: Cultural-“Protecting the Woman My Daughter Will Become”; Civic-“Personal Female Responsibility”; Scientific/Medical-“Progress in Cancer Research/Vaccine Research”. On evaluation, (21/27) 77.7% of participants found the website "Very useful", and (6/27) 22% found it "somewhat useful". (17/22) 77.2% stated that after using the website, their opinion of the vaccine was "more positive”.

Conclusion: The use of an elaborated model of health literacy was very helpful in creating a website content that was well-received and deemed “very useful” by most participants.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, learner should be able to: 1) describe an elaborated model of health literacy; and 2) describe the methodology of creating a web-based educational tool that is matched to the health literacy needs of a target audience.

Keywords: Health Education, Immunizations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am one of the authors of the research project. I am a physician who is boarded in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and General Preventive Medicine and I have an MPH degree. My research focus is on health literacy and reproductive health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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