Healthy Pima! Health Literacy:A Collaborative Initiative to Improve Health

Yamila M. El-Khayat, Outreach Services Librarian, Arizona Health Sciences Library ; Annabelle V. Nuñez, AHSL Librarian at MEZCOPH, Arizona Health Sciences Library; Amber Mathewson, Deputy Director Pima County Public Library; Susannah Connor, Librarian; Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ

In 2011 the Pima County Health Department conducted a countywide health assessment that identified the areas of need to improve health opportunities for county residents. A large coalition of community stakeholders formed the Healthy Pima Task Force to implement the Community Health Improvement Plan 2013-2017. Four priority areas were identified one of which was health literacy.

Simultaneously, the Southern Arizona Health Literacy Partnership was conducting a health literacy needs assessment for Pima County. To meet the goals of the Healthy Pima initiative, the two groups merged to promote the Plan’s goal:

To promote health literacy to Pima County residents with an emphasis on populations of need.

Introduction MethodsThe Health Literacy Action Group will assess the health literacy needs of County health care providers and County residents to increase awareness of relevant, reliable, and trustworthy health information resources to enhance health literacy practices by health care professionals and patients and consumers. The goal is to develop a health literary toolkit for both health care providers and County resident to access and use for health literacy and health information resources.

The Health Literacy Action Group:- meets monthly- has representatives from health agencies, social services groups, public

health nurses, the College of Public Health, and librarians- reports at the Healthy Pima Task Force quarterly meetings

Members of the team identified several approaches to address health literacy within Pima County, these included:• Increasing awareness of health literacy• Enhancing our education system• Promoting public understanding and familiarity with key health- related

issues and concepts• Implementing cultural-and – gender – specific outreach strategies such a

promotora or lay advisor models

ObjectivesIn 2013 a work plan was adopted to guide the action group in their determination to increase health literacy for Pima County residents.Two objectives were identified:

1) to increase awareness of relevant, reliable, and trustworthy health information resources in Pima County by 2017

2) to enhance health literacy practices in health care health information providers in Pima County by 2017

ResultsTwo reports have been written outlining the findings of the surveys. Some of the findings include:

Provider Survey:Distributed via e-mail using SurveyMonkey.• 370 responses collected of which 253 were from within the county• 89% of respondents identified using simple language to communicate with

clientele. (Avoiding Jargon.)• 53% of the providers suspect that clientele leave their office not fully

understanding information given to them.• More than half of the providers are unaware of health literacy approaches

within the agency they work for.

Community Survey: Distributed through the public library system using SurveyMonkey and paper copies. Available in English and Spanish.• 641 responses collected, most were paper surveys• Most respondents had high levels of health literacy. This may be because

of the high level of education of the respondents. • 73% of respondents access the internet to look for health information• More than half of the respondents identified time and communication as

barriers to understanding health information from a healthcare provider.

Using the Community Health Improvement Plan 2013-2017 the Health Literacy Action Group will develop criteria to find and evaluate existing resources on health literacy and health information to support the Pima County Health Department’s goal of improving the health for Pima County residents.

Next Steps

The Healthy Literacy Action Group is compiling health literacy toolkits and resources aimed at both providers and community members/patients to include on the Healthy Pima website that is currently under construction. The Group will explore and identify effective methods to distribute this information to health providers and residents of Pima County. The Group is actively seeking funding opportunities to support programs/projects to increase health literacy within Pima County. Training sessions are under consideration.

Surveys

Two surveys were put together to learn the health literacy needs of communities within Pima County and to confirm the barriers identified in the Pima County Community Health Improvement Plan 2013-2017. One survey targeted the health providers, the other targeted community members.