Health literacy (HL) skills are necessary to understand the context of medical information provided to patients in all settings including the emergency room. People with low health literacy (LHL) have difficulty comprehending and implementing basic tasks such as understanding medication administration. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study guided by Orem’s self-care theory was to determine the effect of using the teach-back method for discharge instructions compared to standard written instructions based on parents’ learning style and HL skills assessed during their visit to the emergency room. The Newest Vital Sign (NVS) tool was reworded to assess the parents’ HL. A panel of experts reviewed the tool independently, judged appropriateness and accuracy of the questions, and suggested minor changes. Interrater reliability was assessed in a pilot study with 14 participants, and the strength of the agreement was classified as good (κ = 0.61–0.80) to very good (κ = 0.81–1.00). The NVS was used to determine the literacy levels of 16 participants. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test to compare the median scores in comprehension, adherence, and recall. Results revealed no statistically significant increase in comprehension adherence and recall when using the teach-back method (n = 9) compared to the standard written instructions (n = 7). The small sample size was a limitation. Modifying teaching methods for those with LHL to assure complete understanding of important health information will affect positive social change. Further research addressing low health literacy in parents who speak languages other than English is necessary to assure the results are applicable to the general population.

Purpose: Health literacy and obesity are major global issues. Vulnerable populations, such as those with low health literacy, have the highest rates of obesity. Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) nations have the highest prevalence of obesity in the world. This study describes the relationship between health literacy and demographic variables in a sample of NHOPI caregiving adults. Methods: We conducted a correlational study of 364 NHOPI adults. Each was a caregiver of at least one NHOPI child. Data were collected at grocery stores and a preschool in two Hawaiian Islands (n=209) and at NHOPI events in Utah (n=155). Our questionnaire included demographics, the Newest Vital Sign, and questions about caregivers' food-serving and activity promotion. Results: 45% of the sample had limited health literacy. There was no significant difference between participants' health literacy in Hawaii and Utah. Other demographic variables (gender, age, income, BMI, and education) had a significant relationship with health literacy. Conclusions: Many NHOPIs have limited health literacy. This is concerning as limited health literacy can reduce an adults' ability to use health-related materials including nutrition facts labels.Implications for Practice: Health care providers should not assume NHOPIs understand nutrition facts labels. Instruction on nutrition facts labels should be available in schools and communities. Future research should examine effective interventions for this population.

This study assessed music educators' health literacy, musician health literacy, and intentions to teach the health-related Fine Arts TEKS in ensembles. An online survey was developed using the integrated behavior model, Newest Vital Sign (NVS), and Musician Health Literacy Questionnaire (MHL-Q19). Texas music educators who taught secondary band, choir, or orchestra were recruited via email and social media. Results: This survey yielded N = 207 respondents, with 43%, 29%, 14.5%, and 13.5% teaching band, choir, orchestra, and multiple ensembles, respectively. Most participants (67.6%) demonstrated adequate health literacy by answering at least four items correctly on the NVS. Attitude (p =.47) and personal agency (p =.30) were significant predictors of behavioral intention, while perceived norm was not (R2 =.484). Including NVS total score and MHL-Q19 total score in the model showed that while both factors improved the model (ΔR2=.038), only NVS total score was significant (p =.26) in predicting behavioral intention. Music educators in this study had adequate health literacy, which may contribute to their intentions to teach health concepts in ensembles. However, future efforts to improve these intentions should focus on bolstering perceived norms and personal agency by providing music educators with opportunities to take charge of implementing these concepts in their classrooms while showing that other stakeholders (i.e., campus administration, parents of students, and music educator colleagues) are also invested in presenting health concepts to student-musicians.