Health Literacy in An Otolaryngology Patient Population

ObjectiveHealth literacy is defined as the ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health. This study aimed to assess the health literacy of patients seeking care at an adult tertiary care Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) clinic and its correlation with sociodemographic information.Study DesignProspective cross-sectional study.SettingTertiary care OHNS clinic.ParticipantsNew adult patients who presented to a tertiary OHNS clinic from July 2022 to March 2023.InterventionsPatients were asked to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire and the BRIEF Health Literacy Screening Tool. The BRIEF is scored out of 20 with scores of 17 and higher showing adequate health literacy.Main Outcome MeasuresBivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine whether sociodemographic variables were associated with health literacy.ResultsTwo hundred eighteen patients were recruited (59% females, 32% were above age 65). Although the average score on the BRIEF was 17.0 ± 3.6, about 33% of participants were found to have inadequate health literacy. Non-native English speakers, racial minorities, immigrants, and those with a lower income were more likely to have poor health literacy.ConclusionThis study highlights that a significant number of patients presenting to a tertiary OHNS clinic have inadequate health literacy, with certain socioeconomic factors serving as predictors. Future research is needed to evaluate targeted interventions aimed at improving and advocating for health literacy among OHNS patients.