Communication in Public Settings

4 thoughts on “Policy Options Brief – Health Literacy”

  1. I think the case for the seriousness of the problem is sufficient. Health literacy is imperative, especially in NYC where we have people from different backgrounds. The authors provided several options and backed them up with benefits and potential drawbacks which was unique. The drawbacks mostly highlight whether it will be costly, and this allows the audience to understand that there are costs to these benefits.

    Furthermore, my two favorite options are “Patient Health Literacy Workshops” and “Implementing Health Literacy in Elementary, High School, and College Curriculum”. I think the first one is interesting because it allows patients to participate in workshops at their hospitals. They would be able to learn more about prescriptions and how to take care of their health. My sister recently became a mother and she participated in a breast-feeding class which allowed her to gain more hands-on knowledge about nursing and this helped her in many ways. My mother once participated in a diabetes workshop which allowed her to learn how to eat well, exercise, and be prepared for changes. Lastly, the authors also mentioned that the NYC government could provide classes in local libraries or in nonprofits which is an amazing idea. Volunteers could potentially hold these classes.

    The other option that I found interesting is implementing health literacy in academic institutions. I find it practical to teach health literacy in school because students will take it seriously and also be accountable for the material provided to them. I know some friends who don’t know how to take their medication or read prescriptions because their parents have helped them all their life. Our education system should provide classes that provide health literacy because it will certainly make a difference in the future when these students become adults, and need to take care of their health and lifestyle.

  2. 1. Is the seriousness of the problem sufficient?

    There is a sufficient amount of support towards the seriousness of the problem with health literacy. Health literacy is a major problem not only in NYC but as you show in all of the USA. Only 12% of Americans have proficient health literacy! I think it is great that you are doing this policy brief targeting the NYC population because addressing this issue on a local level is just as important as addressing it on a national level.

    2. Can you think of any options not mentioned by the author that might solve the problem? What are they?

    I can’t think of any other options not mentioned by the author that might solve the problem. There is a sufficient amount of options that they already mentioned in there policy brief.

    3. Do you have all the information you need to make a decision about which option to choose?

    One of the options is to have universal hospital signage. In order to have universal hospital signage describe how this would happen cost wise. Every hospital has a different budget and different circumstances. There are some hospitals that do have signages already , I have seen this being I work in the health field . I think that creating a specific federal grant and making it available to all American healthcare organizations can help with the cost for signage. You would also have to consider the language demographics in each state. For example NYC has a huge mix of culture and therefore different languages that patients speak. Different hospitals also have different communities they represent on a majority. Translating things into different languages is also costly. Overall the options presented do have a strong support towards coming closer to solving the issue of health literacy.

    4. Which option or options seem best to you? Why?
    I agree 100% on the option to implement educating students starting from elementary school on the issue of health literacy. It can be costly as you mentioned but there can also be a federal grant used to help make this happen. It is important to educate from a young age the importance of this issue and together improve health literacy.
    I enjoyed reading this policy brief and believe that you all did a great job with your options.

  3. The authors have thoroughly covered all the possible solutions I could think of. My only question is, how to the attitudes of patients impact the effectiveness of these proposed policy improvements? I have found that average citizens don’t enjoy talking about health even in an informal setting. How would concern for health education be affected by cultural differences?

  4. Sharmin Uddin
    Health Literacy Panel
    PAF 9103 – Professor Hoffman
    November 3, 2016

    The case for the seriousness of the problem of health literacy is sufficient. Health literacy is an important topic and it was interesting to learn more about it from your organization. Health literacy is something that is often not prioritized by administrations due to many reasons. Some believe that health literacy is expensive and not worth exploring or funding. Your organization made a solid argument regarding health literacy, and made us understand that there are drawbacks, but the flaws of the current state of New York City when it concerns health literacy cancels out the drawbacks. I think your examples, arguments, solutions, and drawbacks were genuine and relatable. Below you will find my response to your brief, presentation and the next steps.
    First and foremost, I believe a response to the problem of health literacy is required. Although all of the arguments were sound, there are two options that are the most realistic and approachable. I agree that health literacy does not just impact individuals but also health care providers and the public health systems. We cannot simply assume individuals will visit the same provider every single time they need to see a provider, and therefore it is important for individuals to have a grasp of their medical history.The two solutions that would increase health literacy and alleviate the current situation are the patient health literacy workshops and implementing health literacy in academic institutions.
    Patient health literacy workshops will indeed allow patients to understand their health to a greater degree and be able to do “simple” things like read their prescription labels. I found the video of the inhaler to be interesting and realistic. This happens all the time to people who already know how to speak English fluently. The workshops will certainly allow for non-fluent speakers and fluent speakers to decipher their medical history, medicines, and health in general. I agree with the benefits your organization has posed for this solution. Workshops will allow patients and their caregivers to become fully aware of their health and take decisions based on that, and not based on someone else’s interpretation or translation. I also think the drawbacks for this option is important to focus on because having workshops means getting together human resources and human resources will require some kind of compensation. I would like to know how your organization will arrange or implement this option. What are the strategic steps that will be taken in order for you to arrange for volunteers for these workshops? Will the volunteers have an incentive? Can health care providers become volunteers with some kind of incentive, such as forming an program for health literacy without the hospital they work at?
    The second option of implementing health literacy in academic institutions seems like a feasible option with some drawbacks, precisely the cost. I do agree that health literacy should start at an early age because health is something that affects everyone, regardless of age. Being literate in health will not only benefit the individual but also their family members which is something that was brought up during the discussion after your presentation. Academic institutions, mainly high school and under already have required health classes. The benefits of this solution could overpower the drawbacks to some degree by adding several sessions of the health class for health literacy. Health classes already teach health related topics and issues, and adding health literacy will not take away from this class, but add more substance to it. Many economics classes in high school implement the topic of credit cards and banks, and therefore adding health literacy will certainly be useful.
    All in all, the presentation and brief allowed me to further understand the need for funds for health literacy. I have mentioned two options because they both will work best if implemented properly. The first one, patient workshops will need more work and requires funding, and therefore I advise you to strategize how patient workshops can come to fruition without spending more than NYC is already spending for not having health literacy workshops or adding health literacy to academic institutions. We are spending a certain amount because we have innumerable people who are not literate in health. Please check if the money that will be spend promoting health literacy is equal or less than what is already being spent. Furthermore, I have addressed how you can work around implementing health literacy at academic institutions. I advise you to look further into this, possibly contact the New York City Board of Education and understand whether we can add health literacy sessions into the health classes.

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