Health and Functional Literacy in Physical Rehabilitation Patients

HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice, 2017 · DOI: 10.3928/24748307-20170427-02 · Published: April 27, 2017

Patient Experience Neurology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study evaluated functional literacy, health literacy, fluid cognitive function, and self-reported health in people who live in community dwellings with spinal cord injury, stroke, or traumatic brain injury. There were strong correlations between functional literacy, health literacy, and fluid cognitive function. To effectively address limited health literacy among people with spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, and ensure that they are able to be informed partners in their health care, intervention is required at the level of patients, providers, and health care delivery systems.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Participants with a traumatic spinal cord injury, stroke, or traumatic brain injury, one-year postinjury, and age 18 to 85 years

Evidence Level

Original Research

Key Findings

1
Higher health literacy was associated with better mobility, less anxiety, and better overall health.
2
Higher functional literacy was associated with less anxiety and better overall health.
3
Higher fluid cognitive function was associated with better mobility, less sadness, better social function, and better overall health.

Research Summary

This was the first study to evaluate health literacy, functional literacy, fluid cognitive function, and self-reported health in physical rehabilitation populations. The stroke group had the lowest levels of health literacy, functional literacy, and fluid cognitive function, and the poorest overall health. After adjusting for injury group, gender, age, ethnicity/race, and current benefits, higher health literacy, functional literacy, and fluid cognitive function each was significantly associated with better overall health and with one or more measures of physical, mental, or social health.

Practical Implications

Targeted Interventions

Interventions should be tailored to address the specific health literacy levels of individuals with spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.

Accessible Information

Healthcare providers and systems should ensure health information is accessible, considering physical, cognitive, and sensory limitations.

Health Literacy Measurement

The Health LiTT measurement system can be used to identify patients in need of interventions to address low health literacy.

Study Limitations

1
These three samples are not diverse enough to generalize to the US population of people living with spinal cord injury, stroke, or traumatic brain injury.
2
Participants were living in the community and were at least 1 year postinjury and therefore may not reflect the experiences of people in more acute rehabilitation.
3
The exclusion of people with aphasia may have limited people with left hemispheric strokes and thus limited the representativeness of the stroke sample.

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