Student use of health literacy tools to improve patient understanding and medication adherence.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate curricular changes related to health literacy and determine impact on independent-living senior residents as part of an introductory pharmacy practice experience for third-year student pharmacists.

DESIGN

Students were randomly assigned a resident whom they visited multiple times to conduct assessments and provide various services using three methods: Ask Me 3™ Four Habits Model, and Teach-back.

SETTING

The study was conducted at independent-living apartments within a 24-mile radius from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, Missouri.

PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Participants (n = 147 to 173, across all three years) were volunteer, elderly residents, living at a facility that collaborated with the research.

INTERVENTIONS

Within one academic year, students collected medical and medication histories, conducted household safety checks, performed screening assessments, assessed adherence, and provided general recommendations to a resident.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Outcomes included resident satisfaction, student satisfaction, and correlations between student use of health literacy tools and resident satisfaction.

RESULTS

Exit surveys indicated resident overall satisfaction with the program, increased understanding of health-related information, increased confidence in asking health care professionals questions about their health, and greater commitment to medication adherence as a result of the experience. Students were highly satisfied with the program. Analyses reveal some correlations between a previously determined performance level of student communication and resident satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Students' use of health literacy communication tools during encounters with independent-living senior residents can result in greater patient understanding and empowerment, which may in turn help improve medication adherence.