Health literacy and medication adherence: a quality improvement project for heart failure patients
Date
2018-04-27Author
Prebbl, Ryan
Advisor
Steinke, Elaine E.; Rodgers, JenniferMetadata
Show full item recordCitation
Prebbl, Ryan. 2018. Health literacy and medication adherence: a quality improvement project for heart failure patients -- In Proceedings: 14th Annual Symposium on Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects. Wichita, KS: Wichita State University, p. 49
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Low health literacy results in worse outcomes and underutilization of preventative health care. In the United States 5,800,000 people have been diagnosed with heart failure (HF), with $20.9 billion spent in 2012, and 80% on hospitalizations. Studies show that low health literacy in HF resulted in a 34% greater risk of death, and addressing health literacy as important.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the project was to identify HF patients with low health literacy, and to evaluate the effectiveness of printed educational materials and a short educational session tailored to the patient's specific medication regimen to increase medication knowledge.
METHODS: A descriptive, pre- post-test design was used with HF patients referred to a Transitional Care Clinic. At baseline, health literacy and HF knowledge were assessed, followed by tailored HF medication education, using teach-back to clarify misunderstandings and reinforce education, and printed materials. Those with low health literacy received a pictorial pill card. A 2-week, post-intervention follow-up evaluated medication adherence and HF knowledge.
RESULTS: Two of 17 participants had low health literacy. Knowledge significantly improved post-intervention, although it was unclear if education affected medication adherence. Significant barriers to medication adherence were: remembering to take medications (n=5), forgetting medications when traveling (n=2), inconvenience (n=3), and cut back/stopped due to feeling worse (n=1).
CONCLUSION: Face-to-face education and teach back increased knowledge, although the impact on adherence was unclear. Literacy assessment, face-to-face education with teach-back, and interventions to decrease barriers to medication taking are clearly important for nurses to address with HF patients.
Description
Presented to the 14th Annual Symposium on Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) held at the Rhatigan Student Center, Wichita State University, April 27, 2018.
Research completed in the School of Nursing, College of Health Professions