Implementing a health literacy module fostering patient-centered written communication in a cardiovascular prevention elective course

Background: A universal approach to health literacy employs clear communication and emphasizes patient action in support of understanding cardiovascular risks and making healthy lifestyle changes. The aim of this project was to evaluate the impact of a health literacy module on enhancing students' written patient education material using standardized readability assessment tools. Educational activity: A professional elective course employed team-based learning and a community health fair activity. The course was enhanced with four hours of health literacy content. Pharmacy student learners were assigned a cardiovascular condition and designed an informational pamphlet. Two faculty members evaluated the student pamphlets in the pre-health literacy module (n = 15) and post-module (n = 23) groups using the Flesch grade level, Flesch reading ease score, and 15 health literacy criteria identified from previous literature. Critical analysis of the educational activity: There was a modest integration of health literacy concepts based on the Flesch grade level and the mean total health literacy criteria achieved. Student learners improved in areas of readability, message content, numeracy/statistics, and patient actionability concepts. Simplifying technical jargon remains to be a barrier. The results will be used to improve our health literacy pamphlet rubric and classroom instruction. The health literacy module was valuable in fostering understanding and application of health literacy concepts, and preparing student learners for providing patient-centered communication.