EPIC: Estimation of Patient LIteracy and numeraCy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Accuracy of healthcare professional’s estimation of patient’s health literacy and numeracy based on validated questionnaires in a secondary care setting
IRAS ID
306405
Contact name
Chetan Parmar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Whittington Health NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 0 days
Research summary
This observational cross-sectional study investigates the accuracy of healthcare professionals’ perception of their patient’s health literacy and numeracy. Health literacy and numeracy is the functional application of literacy and numeracy skills within the health environment.
Health literacy and numeracy are important factors in patient experience and health outcomes. Patients with poor health literacy and numeracy are less likely to take part in preventative medicine, less likely to attend follow-up appointments and are more likely to die as well as have longer hospital stays. When low health literacy and numeracy is not identified, healthcare professionals cannot tailor their practice and communication which can negatively impact the consultation.
Previous data from the US (Zawilinski et al., 2019) demonstrates that healthcare professionals overestimate patient’s health literacy up to 58% of the time.
This study will investigate the accuracy of healthcare professional’s estimations of patients health literacy in an urban UK hospital. This study will provide the opportunity both to measure through validated tools the target populations health literacy level and to reveal if healthcare professionals are overestimating or underestimating patient’s health literacy. If the study reveals deficits, it provides evidence for the need to better educate healthcare professionals and students about health literacy and identifying their patient’s health literacy and what this means in the consultation.
The study population will include both inpatients and outpatients at an urban district general hospital. Participants will be asked to fill out three questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire, a health literacy measure and a health numeracy measure. Healthcare professionals directly involved in the patient’s care will be asked for their estimate of the patient's health literacy and numeracy. The healthcare professional’s estimations will be compared to the objective results from the health literacy and numeracy measures to explore the accuracy of healthcare professionals estimation of patient's health literacy and numeracy.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
22/NS/0053
Date of REC Opinion
27 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion