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Abstract #51965 Published in IGR 14-4
Health literacy and glaucoma
Muir KW; Christensen L; Bosworth HBCurrent Opinions in Ophthalmology 2013; 24: 119-124
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review discusses the concept and measurement of health literacy, with a focus on the care of patients with glaucoma. RECENT FINDINGS: Nearly one-fourth of adults in the USA lack the skills needed to fully comprehend and act on verbal or written information in the healthcare environment. This problem, referred to as poor health literacy, is associated with worse health-related outcomes in many chronic diseases, including glaucoma. Patients with glaucoma and poor literacy skills are less likely to refill their prescribed medications and miss more scheduled appointments than their more literate peers. Moreover, ophthalmic educational materials are often written at a level of readability that surpasses the skills of many patients with glaucoma. SUMMARY: Patients with chronic eye diseases such as glaucoma and limited health literacy skills are vulnerable to poor visual outcomes. Attention to health literacy may improve the care and outcomes of these patients.
aDuke Eye Center bDurham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Health Services Research and Development cDuke University School of Medicine dDepartments of Medicine, Psychiatry, School of Nursing, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Full articleClassification:
15 Miscellaneous
13.2.3 Other (Part of: 13 Therapeutic prognosis and outcome > 13.2 Outcome)
