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Interventions for individuals with low health literacy: a systematic review.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Sheridan, SL; Halpern, DJ; Viera, AJ; Berkman, ND; Donahue, KE; Crotty, K
Published in: J Health Commun
2011

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently called for action on health literacy. An important first step is defining the current state of the literature about interventions designed to mitigate the effects of low health literacy. We performed an updated systematic review examining the effects of interventions that authors reported were specifically designed to mitigate the effects of low health literacy. We searched MEDLINE®, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), and the Cochrane Library databases (2003 forward for health literacy; 1966 forward for numeracy). Two reviewers independently reviewed titles, abstracts, and full-text articles for inclusion and included studies that examined outcomes by health literacy level and met other pre-specified criteria. One reviewer abstracted article information into evidence tables; a second checked accuracy. Two reviewers independently rated study quality using predefined criteria. Among 38 included studies, we found multiple discrete design features that improved comprehension in one or a few studies (e.g., presenting essential information by itself or first, presenting information so that the higher number is better, adding icon arrays to numerical information, adding video to verbal narratives). In a few studies, we also found consistent, direct, fair or good-quality evidence that intensive self-management interventions reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and intensive self- and disease-management interventions reduced disease severity. Evidence for the effects of interventions on other outcomes was either limited or mixed. Multiple interventions show promise for mitigating the effects of low health literacy and could be considered for use in clinical practice.

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Published In

J Health Commun

DOI

EISSN

1087-0415

Publication Date

2011

Volume

16 Suppl 3

Start / End Page

30 / 54

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Public Health
  • Humans
  • Health Promotion
  • Health Literacy
  • Educational Status
  • 4701 Communication and media studies
  • 4206 Public health
  • 2001 Communication and Media Studies
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services
 

Citation

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Sheridan, S. L., Halpern, D. J., Viera, A. J., Berkman, N. D., Donahue, K. E., & Crotty, K. (2011). Interventions for individuals with low health literacy: a systematic review. J Health Commun, 16 Suppl 3, 30–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.604391
Sheridan, Stacey L., David J. Halpern, Anthony J. Viera, Nancy D. Berkman, Katrina E. Donahue, and Karen Crotty. “Interventions for individuals with low health literacy: a systematic review.J Health Commun 16 Suppl 3 (2011): 30–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.604391.
Sheridan SL, Halpern DJ, Viera AJ, Berkman ND, Donahue KE, Crotty K. Interventions for individuals with low health literacy: a systematic review. J Health Commun. 2011;16 Suppl 3:30–54.
Sheridan, Stacey L., et al. “Interventions for individuals with low health literacy: a systematic review.J Health Commun, vol. 16 Suppl 3, 2011, pp. 30–54. Pubmed, doi:10.1080/10810730.2011.604391.
Sheridan SL, Halpern DJ, Viera AJ, Berkman ND, Donahue KE, Crotty K. Interventions for individuals with low health literacy: a systematic review. J Health Commun. 2011;16 Suppl 3:30–54.

Published In

J Health Commun

DOI

EISSN

1087-0415

Publication Date

2011

Volume

16 Suppl 3

Start / End Page

30 / 54

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Public Health
  • Humans
  • Health Promotion
  • Health Literacy
  • Educational Status
  • 4701 Communication and media studies
  • 4206 Public health
  • 2001 Communication and Media Studies
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services