The Institute of Medicine defines health literacy as, “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” This class will provide an overview of health literacy. The speakers will also demonstrate reliable consumer health information for patients, provide an overview of the teach back method, and will explain how to evaluate written patient education materials.

Objectives:

Participants will:

1. Explain health literacy and how it impacts health care.
2. Recall how to find reliable health information written in easy to understand language.
3. Describe how to use Teach Back effectively for patient education.
4. Recognize how to critically evaluate written patient education materials.