For this Module 2 discussion activity, the discussion questions will be based on an example provided in the Institutes of Medicine readings required for this module. You should post your initial analysis of the case by Thursday at 11:59 pm. You should read through your classmates’ postings and respond to two discussion board posts made by your classmates by Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
Your initial post should be 3-5 paragraphs in length. Please be precise and succinct. Although you should be sure that your answer is complete, be aware that I am looking at the quality of your response, not the length. I will be looking for clear evidence that you used the material from the lecture and readings to answer the questions. You should cite your sources. To site the lecture, include the title of the lecture, and the slide number in parentheses. To cite an article or chapter, include the author, and page or paragraph number in parentheses.
A two-year-old is diagnosed with an inner ear infection and prescribed an antibiotic. Her mother understands that her daughter should take the prescribed medication twice a day. After carefully studying the label on the bottle and deciding that it doesn’t tell how to take the medicine, she fills a teaspoon and pours the antibiotic into her daughter’s painful ear.
Using the “Health Literacy Framework” explain what all could have contributed to the problem described in the case above.
To prepare you post, do these three items first:
Read the case carefully.
Review the Health Literacy Framework provided in the Institutes of Medicine Reading. Make sure that you review the readings that explain the framework. In addition, listen to the lecture for this week.
Draw out the framework on a piece of paper. Now think about the case and jot down notes in each section of the framework regarding the case. For example, jot down some individual factors and some factors regarding the health context that could have impacted the case. Do this for each of the components in the framework.
Now you are ready to post your ideas.
HELPFUL HINT: Type up your post in Google Docs so that you will have your work saved and won’t risk losing it before you hit save and submit on Canvas. You can post your well-written and proofread post in Canvas.
Write 5-6 sentences describing how you think health literacy may have contributed to the problem above, using your notes and the framework to organize your response and making sure to reference each component of the framework.
Review the sections of your reading on assessment of health literacy and discuss the examples of assessment instruments provided in the e-reserves readings for this week.
What are examples of socioeconomic variables? To what extent are socioeconomic variables important in assessing risk for limited health literacy? For what reason should we be careful about only using socioeconomic variables to determine health literacy level?
Use this information as well as what you read in the “Your Responsibilities” section of this Module to describe in 3-4 sentences what the pediatrician could have done in his or her office to assess the mother’s health literacy.