Does Accurate Provider Perception of Patient Health Literacy Level Impact Patient Satisfaction with Provider Communication at an Urban Family Planning Clinic?

Authors

Jodi L. Rueter, Jefferson School of Population HealthFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

12-5-2013

Comments

Committee Chair: Rickie Brawer, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University

Abstract

Effective communication is essential to the delivery of health care. Unfortunately, miscommunication can happen when patients do not understand the information given to them by providers. Inadequate health literacy affects 43% of the adults in the United States and is associated with patient-provider communication. The purpose of this study was to determine if the accuracy of healthcare providers’ perception of patient health literacy is associated with patient satisfaction with provider communication at Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania (PPSP). This was a prospective study using a convenience sample of patients (n=154) and providers (n=7) at two PPSP Health Centers in Philadelphia, PA Patients were given the validated Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) to measure health literacy. Patients were also given the validated Communication Assessment Tool (CAT) to measure their satisfaction with their provider’s communication. The providers completed the CAT as a self-assessment and the Provider Perception Health Literacy Form (PPHL) to assess their perception of patient health literacy. Accuracy of perception was measured by comparing the results from the S-TOFHLA and PPHL using Fisher’s exact test. Patient satisfaction was measured by the number of “excellent” responses on the CAT. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to explore the relationship between accuracy of the provider perception and patient satisfaction. Results show that provider perception is not associated with patient health literacy (p=0.99). Results also show that 4 out of 5 patients were satisfied with their provider’s communication skills. Patient satisfaction with provider communication does not appear to differ whether the patient’s health literacy was accurately or inaccurately perceived by the provider (p=0.10).

Presentation: 30 minutes

Recommended Citation

Rueter, Jodi L., "Does Accurate Provider Perception of Patient Health Literacy Level Impact Patient Satisfaction with Provider Communication at an Urban Family Planning Clinic?" (2013). Master of Public Health Capstone Presentations. Presentation 102.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/mphcapstone_presentation/102