Press Release
NEW REPORT REVEALS PRESSING NEED TO ADDRESS LOW HEALTH LITERACY
Partnership for Clear Health Communication’s Ask Me 3 Program Offers Solution to Improve Communication Between Patient and Provider
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 7, 2006 — The Partnership for Clear Health Communication, the country’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to improving low health literacy, today commends the National Center for Education Statistic’s “The Health Literacy of America’s Adults” report for highlighting the need for improved health literacy. The report found that fewer than one in six people are proficient in health literacy - 22 percent of adults have basic health literacy and 14 percent of adults are at below basic literacy levels. Basic health literacy is defined by the ability to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
The report also points to low health literacy's association with poor health outcomes, including increased hospitalization rates, fewer preventive screenings and higher rates of disease and mortality. Additionally, the report found that adults with no insurance, Medicaid or Medicare had lower levels of health literacy than those with family, employer or privately purchased health insurance. Adults aged 65 and older also had lower health literacy levels than those in younger age groups.
“This clearly underlines the need and importance of solutions that improve health communication and positively impact health outcomes,” said Anita Boles, executive director of the Partnership for Clear Health Communication. “Our program, Ask Me 3, is a quick and effective tool designed to improve communication between patients and providers.”
Ask Me 3 promotes three simple but essential questions that patients should ask their providers in every health care interaction:
- What is my main problem?
- What do I need to do?
- Why is it important for me to do this?
Research with Ask Me 3 shows that the questions do not add time to the patient visit, can reduce the number of call-backs and missed appointments by patients, and improves patient satisfaction.
“Use of Ask Me 3 in a pilot project resulted in greater patient satisfaction and improved communication during patient interactions with health care providers,” said Mary Ann Abrams, MD, who leads a health literacy initiative for Iowa Health System, Iowa’s largest integrated health care system. “Nurses found the implementation easy, and noted that more elderly patients were asking more questions to better understand their health conditions and instructions. We are now expanding use of Ask Me 3 to other areas of the hospital.”
Ask Me 3 was developed through the generous support of Partnership for Clear Health Communication founding member Pfizer, Inc. The program consists of easy-to-read brochures and posters customized for patients, doctors, and organizations, as well as a Web site with comprehensive information and resources for people interested in health literacy and clear health communication. All the materials are available in English and Spanish and can be ordered free of charge on www.askme3.org.
The Partnership for Clear Health Communication (PCHC) is a national, non-profit coalition working to build awareness and advance solutions to improve health literacy and positively impact health outcomes.
For more information about PCHC visit www.p4chc.org.