An Assessment of Organizational Health Literacy Practices at an Academic Health Center. Issue 2 (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prince, Latrina Y.; Schmidtke, Carsten; Beck, Jules K.; Hadden, Kristie B.
• Is Part Of: Quality management in health care. Volume 27:Issue 2(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: health literacy -- organizational behavior -- organizational development -- organizational health literacy -- workforce development; Medical care -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Total quality management -- Periodicals; Health services administration -- Periodicals; 362.1068
• DOI: 10.1097/QMH.0000000000000162
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1063-8628

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Organizational health literacy is the degree to which an organization considers and promotes the health literacy of patients. Addressing health literacy at an organizational level has the potential to have a greater impact on more health consumers in a health system than individual-level approaches. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess health care practices at an academic health center using the 10 attributes of a health-literate health care organization. Methods: Using a survey research design, the Health Literate Healthcare Organization 10-Item Questionnaire was administered online using total population sampling. Employees (N = 10 300) rated the extent that their organization's health care practices consider and promote patients' health literacy. Differences in responses were assessed using factorial analysis of variance. Results: The mean response was 4.7 on a 7-point Likert scale. Employee training and communication about costs received the lowest ratings. Univariate analyses revealed that there were no statistically significant differences ( P = .05) by employees' health profession, years of service, or level of patient contact. There were statistically significant differences by highest education obtained with lowest ratings from employees with college degrees. Conclusions: Survey responses indicate a need for improvements in health care practices to better assist patients with inadequate health literacy.