Community Health & Learning Foundation/Prostate Cancer UK
Health Literacy and Prostate Cancer Information: A Case Study
Slide 2
Who Are We? Anneliese Levy, Senior Information Development
Officer, Prostate Cancer UK Jonathan Berry, Director, Community
Health & Learning Foundation
Slide 3
What is Health Literacy? Health literacy implies the
achievement of a level of knowledge, personal skills and confidence
to take action to improve personal and community health by changing
personal lifestyles and living conditions. Thus, health literacy
means more than being able to read pamphlets and make appointments.
By improving peoples access to health information, and their
capacity to use it effectively, health literacy is critical to
empowerment. World Health Organisation
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Health Literacy the theoretical framework Conceptual thinking
about Health Literacy has developed in the last decade. Three types
or levels of Health Literacy have been put forward for
consideration: Functional - Basic or core knowledge of risks and
health services, compliance with prescribed actions and ability to
complete or comply with systems and procedures and access,
prompted, basic web based sites and information; Interactive -
Improved capacity and skills to act independently on knowledge,
improved motivation and self-confidence, ability to chose between
sites and web based information and to support others; Critical -
Improved individual resilience to social and economic factors and
capacity to review information critically and to challenge Nutbeam
D. The evolving concept of Health Literacy. Social Science and
Medicine. 2008 December;67(12):2072-8.
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Something you may not know 43% of adults (18-65) do not have
adequate literacy skills to routinely understand health
information. 61% of adults (18-65) do not have adequate numeracy
skills to routinely understand health information. (LSBU Press
Release December 2012)
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Skills for Life Skills for Life is about everyday English and
practical maths. The most common definition of Skills for Life is:
The ability to read, write and speak in English and to use
mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work
and in society in general.
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How big is the problem? Functional literacy in England
Functional literacy = level 1 and above Level 1 = GCSE grades D-G.
Adults with skills below this level may not be able to read
timetables or letters containing words with more than one syllable
15% (=7.45 million people) of the population are below this level
Entry level 1 = expected national school curriculum level for 5-7
yrs. Adults below Entry Level 1 may not be able to write short
messages to family or select floor numbers in lifts 5% (=2.5
million people) are at this level 2011 Skills for Life Survey:
Headline findings. Department of Business Innovation and
Skills.
Slide 8
How big is the problem? Functional numeracy in England
Functional numeracy = entry level 3 and above Entry Level 3 =
expected national school curriculum level for ages 9-11. Adults
with skills below this level may not be able to understand price
labels on pre-packaged food or pay household bills 23.7% of the
population are below this level 6.8% are at entry level 1 or below
(national school curriculum for attainment at age 5-7 yrs) 2011
Skills for Life Survey: Headline findings. Department of Business
Innovation and Skills.
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Literacy: What Does It Mean? Below Level 1 cant find relevant
information in leaflets (approx 5m) Below Entry 3 cant explain
straightforward feelings/symptoms over the phone (approx 1.7m)
Below Entry 2 cant follow a simple letter from the surgery (approx
1m) Skilled for Health: Making the Case (2006) Berry, J et al
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Numeracy What Does It Mean? Below Level 1 cant work out mean
(average) calorie intake (approx 14m) Below Entry 3 measure and
record height and weight on a chart (approx 6.5m) Below Entry 2
work out how many tablets to take in a week (approx 1.5m) Skilled
for Health: Making the Case (2006) Berry, J et al
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11 The impact of LLN needs on health Peter Radiology Podiatry
Gynaecology Paediatrics Orthopaedics Oncology Pathology Psychiatry
Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Pharmacy ProsthesisUrology
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Does it Matter? Those with the lowest skills have the worst
health outcomes premature mortality/morbidity Therefore those with
lowest skills and health literacy are the biggest users of
service
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Prostate Cancer UK Accessible resources project
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Prostate Cancer UK Information Providing information Prostate
Cancer UK provides free information on prostate cancer and prostate
problems that can be tailored to the needs of each man All
information is evidence-based and independently reviewed Available
as printed copies and can be downloaded from
www.prostatecanceruk.org
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Prostate Cancer UK Headlines Prostate cancer facts Prostate
cancer is the most common cancer in men Over 40,000 men are
diagnosed with prostate cancer every year Over a quarter of a
million men are living with and after prostate cancer 1 in 9 men
will get prostate cancer More than 10,000 men die every year from
prostate cancer Its estimated by 2030, prostate cancer will be the
most common cancer [1] [1]http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-
info/cancerstats/incidence/projections/selected-cancers/selected-
cancers
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Prostate Cancer UK Who are your audience? Bob is living below
the poverty line Geoff has a learning disability Mukesh is 89 years
old
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Prostate Cancer UK Deciding what to do next... Scoping research
Looked for companies/organisations to work with Commissioned
production of a sample easy read product Looked for ways to test
the product Worked with Community Health & Learning
Foundation
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Prostate Cancer UK
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Who Focus Group 1 Clients of Leicestershire Probation Service
Focus Group 2 Clients of Leicestershire Aids Support Service
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Key Findings - Poster Significant Understanding but Diagrams
caused confusion/provoked more questions Risk association
words/numbers e.g. may, percentages not well understood Age risk
confusing
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Key Findings - Leaflet Significant Understanding but Breast
Cancer section not at all understood Not clear if only
African/Caribbean and White Men are at risk
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Key Findings - Diagrams Not human Looks like a water cooler Not
realistic Needs simple words to explain it
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Key Findings Video Clip Professional Well understood Right
length/keeps your attention Doesnt tell you what to look for
signs/symptoms
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Prostate Cancer UK Next steps Using findings from the focus
group to guide us Writing text in-house Commissioning an
illustrator to draw pictures to specification Learning disability
team helping us with wording Re-testing along the way
Slide 25
Prostate Cancer UK A bit of a learning curve Think about what
skills and resources you already have in your organisation If
working with an external company brief them in detail Test with
your audience and find experts to work with