Abstract
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.
- Communication Barriers
- Dental Health Education
- Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice
- Health Promotion
- Literature Review
- Oral Health
- Oral Health Literacy
- Patient Acceptance of Health Care
- Patient Participation
- Professional–Patient Relations
Footnotes
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Julie H. Schiavo, MLIS, AHIP, is an Instructor of Medical Bibliography and Dental Reference Librarian at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – New Orleans, School of Dentistry. She is a Distinguished member of the Academy of Health Information Specialists and has received a Level II Specialization in Consumer Health Information from the Medical Library Association in 2011. She is also currently pursuing a Certificate in Advanced Study in Health Science Librarianship from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Information Sciences and Health Sciences Library System.
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This study supports the NDHRA priority area, Health Promotion/Disease Prevention: Assess strategies for effective communication between the dental hygienist and client.
- Copyright © 2011 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association
