Introduction
Health literacy is one of the pillars in the healthcare industry, as its proper level can ensure better patient well-being and lower risks in the population. At the same time, health literacy levels are not evenly distributed across various groups, with some individuals being more knowledgeable in terms of treatment and care than others.
As a result, it is primarily the responsibility of a healthcare professional to educate individuals about their conditions, potential complications, and risks, and provide recommendations on lifestyle and habits. Thus, physician assistants (PAs) must offer culturally competent care and patient education tailored to the needs of patients, facilitating health literacy of individuals and better health outcomes.
Health Literacy
Definition
Prior to discussing the role of a physician assistant, it is necessary to review the point of health literacy. Education is a key driver of improved work prospects, increased income, and enhanced personal, household, and national economic growth, all of which can lead to increased access to healthcare services (Zegeye et al., 2021). In contrast, individuals with lower levels of education can face more significant healthcare barriers. Literacy is correlated with education since one of the two main characteristics determining health literacy in people aged 16 to 65 and older is educational achievement.
Statistics
In the National Assessment of Adult Literacy in the U.S., for example, 49% of individuals without a high school degree had the lowest score in health literacy. This is opposed to 15% of adults with a high school degree as their most recent degree and 3% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (Vamos et al., 2020). At the same time, not every individual who has attained a certain level of education can be considered health literate, as education does not guarantee the effective use of information and skill sets vital for proper treatment and self-care.
Role of Physician Assistants in Increasing Health Literacy
Regarding the role of PAs, one may argue that it is one of their responsibilities to educate patients and ensure that individuals understand the intricacies of their treatments. These professionals can improve their communication by first using plain language without medical jargon to facilitate patient understanding (Van der Giessen et al., 2021). Moreover, it is essential to ensure that interpreters are available who can convey the information to the patient in their native language (Al Shamsi et al., 2020).
Similarly, for deaf patients, PAs can use sign language interpreters. Moving forward, these medical professionals should not forget to provide culturally competent care, which means considering the unique needs of patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. Finally, after reviewing health literacy and the PAs’ role, one can argue that these experts should focus on tailoring their patient education to the individual’s needs and abilities. As seen above, patients may lack proper proficiency in English or have certain values, beliefs, or conditions that can hinder their understanding of the information being delivered.
Conclusion
In summary, to promote patient health literacy and achieve better health outcomes, PAs must provide culturally competent treatment and patient education tailored to each patient’s specific needs. Since education does not ensure the successful application of the knowledge and skill sets necessary for good treatment and self-care, not every person who has obtained a specific level of education can be termed health literate. One may argue that a key duty of PAs is to empower patients and ensure that individuals are aware of the nuances of their treatments when discussing their function.
References
Al Shamsi, H., Almutairi, A. G., Al Mashrafi, S., & Al Kalbani, T. (2020). Implications of language barriers for healthcare: A systematic review. Oman Medical Journal, 35(2), e122.
Vamos, S., Okan, O., Sentell, T., & Rootman, I. (2020). Making a case for “Education for Health Literacy”: An international perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4), 1436.
Van der Giessen, J. A. M., Ausems, M. G., van Riel, E., de Jong, A., Fransen, M. P., & van Dulmen, S. (2021). Development of a plain-language guide for discussing breast cancer genetic counseling and testing with patients with limited health literacy. Supportive Care in Cancer, 29, 2895-2905.
Zegeye, B., El-Khatib, Z., Ameyaw, E. K., Seidu, A. A., Ahinkorah, B. O., Keetile, M., & Yaya, S. (2021). Breaking barriers to healthcare access: A multilevel analysis of individual- and community-level factors affecting women’s access to healthcare services in Benin. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 750.