Validation of a single question health literacy screening tool for older adults

Abstract

Introduction: Health Literacy is the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information. Older adults have the lowest health literacy rates. The purpose of this study was to assess health literacy rates of older adults and to validate a single question screening tool. Methods: Participants included a convenience sample from the state of Kansas. Respondents were age 65 or older and English speaking. Participants completed the 36-item Short Test of Functional Health Literacy Assessment (STOFHLA) and a single item screening (SIS) for health literacy, “How confident are you filling out medical forms by yourself?” Results of STOFHLA and SIS were compared using nonparametric statistics. Results & Conclusion: Of the 64 participants, 94% had adequate scores on the STOFHLA, while 64% self-reported confidence in filling out medical forms (P=0.006, X2=7.606, df(1)). This result suggests that the health literacy screening tools need to be further validated for use in older adults.