HealthyFresno Announces Partnership Program to Improve Fresnans’ Health Literacy and Compliance
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October 17, 2006 Tim Rosales - 916-475-4900
HealthyFresno Announces Partnership Program to Improve Fresnans’ Health Literacy and Compliance
New Survey Shows Many Fresnans Report Failing to Follow Medical Providers Instructions, Indicating Possible Problems with Health Literacy
FRESNO, CALIF. (October 17, 2006) – HealthyFresno today released a report highlighting the results of a recent survey on health literacy[1] and compliance among Fresnans. The survey, which looked at the way Fresnans perceive their understanding of health information (their self-perceived health literacy), found that although many Fresnans said they have a good understanding of information they receive from their health care providers, many also reported they often did not follow the treatment recommendations they were given by their providers. Because problems complying with health providers’ instructions have been found to be associated with low health literacy, the report suggests Fresnans may have greater problems understanding health information – and lower health literacy – than they report.
To bridge the gap between Fresnans’ understanding of health information and their health behaviors, HealthyFresno has launched a new partnership program to improve Fresnans’ health literacy and compliance. The new program – which brings together key Fresno groups and individuals with a stake in patient health including, pharmacists, doctors, nurses, healthcare providers, community service organizations and America's pharmaceutical companies – aims to help Fresnans better understand their health and health information, and learn about the tools available to them to help enhance their interactions with their health care providers.
“Health literacy is one of the most important health issues facing this community today,” said Alma Wells, RN, Program Director at the Valley Adult Day Healthcare Center, Inc. “Low health literacy and problems with compliance lead to higher health care costs and threaten patient health – especially for those with chronic diseases or other complex health problems. I am glad to be a part of this community effort to improve patient health.”
To assist residents in improving their health literacy, HealthyFresno will:
- Team with local pharmacists to educate residents about health literacy and compliance by holding community educational sessions;
- Disseminate educational materials, including a “Passport to Health,” to community members, offering guidance about how to get more out of health care visits, important questions to ask their medical provider, and information about where to go for help with health information needs;
- Raise awareness about the problems of low health literacy and compliance among health care providers in the region and help them understand how they can better serve their patients.
Results from the survey underscore the divide between what Fresnans report they understand and what they actually do for their health. While the vast majority (93%) said they had a good understanding of what they should do about their health when they left a health care visit, many reported failing to follow their medical provider’s recommendations, signifying possible problems with health literacy:
- One-third (33%) reported having done things their medical provider told them to avoid; two in five (39%) had eaten foods their provider told them to avoid (compared to only 28% nationally);
- Among those advised by their medical provider to get additional tests (such as X-rays, screenings, blood tests, and urine samples), more than one in three (37%) didn’t get all of the additional tests they were told to get and one in six (16%) didn’t get any of them; and
- Of those given a prescription by their medical provider, one in five (20%) never filled this prescription; among those who did fill it, a quarter (24%) reported not taking a medication as prescribed.[2]
Such problems could pose numerous problems to the Fresno community as a result of complications from untreated, undertreated, or improperly treated illness. Low health literacy and problems with compliance account for billions of dollars in avoidable health care costs, higher rates of hospitalizations and use of emergency services, and numerous deaths, according to the Institute of Medicine.[3]
“Research shows that efforts to help patients make improvements in health literacy, and health behaviors such as compliance, have the best chance of happening when all those involved in delivery of patient care work together to support patients’ health information needs,” O’Brien noted. “That’s where we think HealthyFresno can make a big difference.”
The initiative is part of HealthyFresno – a community-wide health, wellness, and chronic disease prevention program. America’s pharmaceutical companies and local health care partners launched the HealthyFresno program in May at the Ted C. Wills Community Center.
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Tim Rosales - 916-475-4900
Tim Rosales - 916-475-4900