A Nurse's Eye-View on Health Literacy in Older Adults.

Abstract

Older adults are being asked to play a more active role in the management of their health, however low health literacy is pervasive in this population and is a major impediment to participation in healthcare activities. We sought to identify literacy-related challenges that older adults experience while managing their health. We interviewed 8 nurses who provided direct care to older adult populations. Thematic analysis was conducted exploring barriers, strategies and resources as they relate to health literacy in older adults. Three main themes were identified: literacy barriers, aging process and social resources. Problems associated with health literacy in this population were pervasive. Numeracy, a component of health literacy, was a central factor for a range of medication management problems. However, nurses reported that they were able to fashion solutions that enabled patients to comprehend quantitative information and act on it accordingly, resulting in better health management.