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Health literacy and caregiver understanding in the CHD population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2020

Megan E. Rodts*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Ndidi I. Unaka
Affiliation:
Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Christopher J. Statile
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Nicolas L. Madsen
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
*
Author for correspondence: M. E. Rodts, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue MLC 5018, Cincinnati, OH45229, USA. Tel: +1 513 636 5476. E-mail: megan.rodts@cchmc.org

Abstract

Background:

CHD is the most common birth defect type, with one-fourth of patients requiring intervention in the first year of life. Caregiver understanding of CHD may vary. Health literacy may be one factor contributing to this variability.

Methods:

The study occurred at a large, free-standing children’s hospital. Recruitment occurred at a free-of-charge CHD camp and during outpatient cardiology follow-up visits. The study team revised the CHD Guided Questions Tool from an eighth- to a sixth-grade reading level. Caregivers of children with CHD completed the “Newest Vital Sign” health literacy screen and demographic surveys. Health literacy was categorised as “high” (Newest Vital Sign score 4–6) or “low” (score 0–3). Caregivers were randomised to read either the original or revised Guided Questions Tool and completed a validated survey measuring understandability and actionability of the Guided Questions Tool. Understandability and actionability data analysis used two-sample t-testing, and within demographic group differences in these parameters were assessed via one-way analysis of variance.

Results:

Eighty-two caregivers participated who were largely well educated with a high income. The majority (79.3%) of participants scored “high” for health literacy. No differences in understanding (p = 0.43) or actionability (p = 0.11) of the original and revised Guided Questions Tool were noted. There were no socio-economic-based differences in understandability or actionability (p > 0.05). There was a trend towards improved understanding of the revised tool (p = 0.06).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated that readability of the Guided Questions Tool could be improved. Future work is needed to expand the study population and further understand health literacy’s impact on the CHD community.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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