Abstract
Purpose: Health literacy plays a vital role in patients’ health and dictates their ability to locate, process, and understand basic health information to make informed decisions. Athletic trainers in the secondary school (SSATs) setting work with patients with varying health literacy levels. The purpose of this study was to explore SSATs' knowledge of health literacy and integration of best practice behaviors for patient education. Methods: A cross-sectional design, web-based survey including demographic, patient education practice behaviors, and health literacy knowledge assessment questions. Practice behavior questions identified techniques, strategies, and educational materials used during patient education. Health literacy knowledge assessment questions assessed health literacy knowledge of SSATs about patient education materials, reading levels, consequences and financial burden of low health literacy, and ways to enhance communication with patients with low health literacy. A Content Validity Index (CVI) assessed the demographic questions and practice behaviors questions (S-CVI/Ave = 0.94). A modified Delphi approach, including 3 athletic trainers with related expertise, was used to build consensus across 3 rounds of review on the knowledge assessment questions. Of the 13 original knowledge assessment questions proposed, only 10 had consensus for inclusion in the final instrument. Descriptive statistics were calculated using the measures of central tendency for demographics, practice behaviors, and the health literacy knowledge assessment. Results: Verbal communication, demonstration, and pictures were the most used patient education strategies. Just over half of the participants assessed the grade level of their own written patient education materials. Participants mostly learned about health literacy through continuing education or clinical/lived experience. The overall score for health literacy knowledge assessment was 1.5±1.1 out of 10 with a high score 4/10, indicating low knowledge on the assessment and impact of health literacy on patient care. The items correctly answered included understanding the average reading level of the U.S. population and best practices for reading level of patient education materials. Conclusion: SSATs scored particularly low on a consensus-validated health literacy knowledge assessment and reported few best practice patient education behaviors raising concerns for how well-prepared athletic trainers are for assessing health literacy and educating patients.
Recommended Citation
Toubman SR, Young J, Eberman LE, Rivera MJ. Strategies for Health Literacy Assessment and Patient Education in Athletic Training Practice: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2025 Jan 17;23(1), Article 2.
