Our Duty to Health Promotion and Literacy
All healthcare providers have a duty to health promotion and health literacy, but as occupational therapist who's entire career field focuses on client independence, we especially must know its importance. Dr.Flick provided a great study in her lecture giving data as evidence that our role in health promotion is important. Her study found that OT was the sole provider that determined if readmission rates declines. This showed that higher hospital spending on OT was associated with lower readmission rates. Why do these outcomes make sense? OTs are giving their clients the tools for independence and are taking the time to really make sure that the clients are understanding what the interventions mean. Some interventions that OTs can provide that promote health promotion are performing home safety assessments and making sure clients can safely perform activities of daily living. The clients are safe inside the walls of a hospital, but when they leave those walls their safety is just as important because if they are not safe they will be back. OTs are the ones promoting health beyond the boundaries of the hospital but in a functional and personal way.
I was surprised at first to learn that the majority of clients will leave without an understanding of what they were told. However, I thought about instances that me and other OT students were talking about certain class related topics around non-OT students who acted like we were speaking a foreign language. Certain medical or OT specific jargon can become so normal that it is hard to remember what is common knowledge. Even going off of that point, in this field one can never assume common knowledge as it is so important clients be fully aware in order to function to the best of their abilities. A video in Dr. Flick's lecture gave 7 strategies to promote health literacy that are worth remembering. The strategies are to look for clues that they are not understanding (they may be distracted or too afraid to ask questions), use audio and visual aids (to adhere to different learning styles), use demonstrations, highlight take home points, use plain language, have them teach the material back (showing them the areas that they may not even realize they didn't or did understand), and encourage patient partnerships and social supports.
I was surprised at first to learn that the majority of clients will leave without an understanding of what they were told. However, I thought about instances that me and other OT students were talking about certain class related topics around non-OT students who acted like we were speaking a foreign language. Certain medical or OT specific jargon can become so normal that it is hard to remember what is common knowledge. Even going off of that point, in this field one can never assume common knowledge as it is so important clients be fully aware in order to function to the best of their abilities. A video in Dr. Flick's lecture gave 7 strategies to promote health literacy that are worth remembering. The strategies are to look for clues that they are not understanding (they may be distracted or too afraid to ask questions), use audio and visual aids (to adhere to different learning styles), use demonstrations, highlight take home points, use plain language, have them teach the material back (showing them the areas that they may not even realize they didn't or did understand), and encourage patient partnerships and social supports.
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