RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Oral Health Literacy in the Dental Office: The Unrecognized Patient Risk Factor
JF American Dental Hygienists Association
JO J Dent Hyg
FD American Dental Hygienists Association
SP 248
OP 255
VO 85
IS 4
A1 Julie H. Schiavo
YR 2011
UL http://jdh.adha.org/content/85/4/248.abstract
AB Purpose: According to the report Healthy People 2010, oral health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions. Studies have linked a patient's health literacy to a variety of significant health behaviors, statuses and outcomes. This article provides an overview of the literature concerning the levels of health literacy among adults in the U.S., the effects of literacy levels on treatment and patient outcomes, literacy assessment in the practice setting and the effects of a patient's literacy on communication with a dental health provider. The implications of inadequate patient oral health literacy on the practice of dental hygienists and communication recommendations are discussed, as is the need for future research specifically on oral health literacy.