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PubMed2004

A media literacy nutrition education curriculum for head start parents about the effects of television advertising on their children's food requests.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a media literacy nutrition education curriculum about the effects of television advertising on children's food choices influenced the behavior, attitudes, and knowledge of Head Start parents. SUBJECTS: Participants were a convenience sample of 35 parents from Head Start programs. DESIGN: This study used a pretest-posttest, comparison condition-intervention condition design. INTERVENTION: The 35 parents participated in both a four-week food safety curriculum (to serve as an educational placebo, comparison condition) that was followed immediately by a four-week media literacy nutrition education curriculum (intervention condition). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evaluation measures included parents' understanding of the persuasive techniques of commercials; ability to distinguish between truths and claims in advertising; and outcome expectations, values, self-efficacy, and behaviors in relation to talking about television advertisements with children while co-viewing or in response to purchase requests in the grocery store. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Paired t tests, analysis of covariance, and chi(2) analyses were used. RESULTS: The media literacy nutrition education intervention curriculum had significant effects in terms of Head Start parents' understanding television advertising (P<.001), attitudes about television advertisements (P<.001), outcome expectations (P<.05), values (P<.01), self-efficacy (P<.001), and TV mediation behaviors (P<.001), and understanding of, and ability to read, food labels (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS: Results suggest that a media literacy nutrition education curriculum can be easily conducted by dietitians. Dietitians can modify the curriculum to teach parents how to critically analyze many other forms of media (supermarket magazines, brochures, newspapers, Web sites) that sell nutrition misinformation to the public.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Working memory and literacy as predictors of performance on algebraic word problems.

Previous studies on individual differences in mathematical abilities have shown that working memory contributes to early arithmetic performance. In this study, we extended the investigation to algebraic word problem solving. A total of 151 10-year-olds were administered algebraic word problems and measures of working memory, intelligence quotient (IQ), and reading ability. Regression results were consistent with findings from the arithmetic literature showing that a literacy composite measure provided greater contribution than did executive function capacity. However, a series of path analyses showed that the overall contribution of executive function was comparable to that of literacy; the effect of executive function was mediated by that of literacy. Both the phonological loop and the visual spatial sketchpad failed to contribute directly; they contributed only indirectly by way of literacy and performance IQ, respectively.

Child↗
PubMed1996

Development of a protocol to assess dietary intake among Hispanics who have low literacy skills in English.

Hispanic adults who had low literacy in English (n = 14.3) and who attended community college English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes, completed 24-hour dietary recalls using version 2.5 of the computerized Minnesota Nutrition Data System (NDS), which included many Hispanic foods. The purposes of our study were to assess the appropriateness of NDS for a Hispanic group who had low literacy in English, to describe the development and implementation of training procedures for NDS interviewers, and to discuss the special problems that occurred using the enhanced version of NDS. Further, nutrient, intakes for the study population, as calculated using NDS, were compared with nutrient estimates from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES). Results suggest that version 2.5 of NDS is a useful tool for collecting dietary information for Hispanics who have low literacy in English. Challenges encountered during data collection for this study could be categorized into three types: regional differences in foods, food preparation differences, and lack of appropriate options in NDS for preparation methods. Generally, the study group and HHANES participants had similar intakes, although the study group tended to have a more healthful nutrition profile. Overall, findings indicate that NDS is a promising assessment tool for nutrition practitioners who work with Hispanics who have low literacy in English. Continued improvements to the NDS system can correct its shortcomings related to regional/ cultural food differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Literacy levels of ophthalmic patient education materials.

Health care providers have become increasingly aware of poor patient understanding of their illnesses and their treatments. A major, increasingly recognized factor in poor understanding and compliance is the low literacy skills of 90 million Americans. This article reviews the literature on the relationship between patients' literacy skills and the literacy levels required to read educational health care materials, and applies a similar analysis to commonly used ophthalmic patient-educational materials. Understanding the relationships between patient literacy skills and health care utilization will be critical in improving the efficiency of the health care system.

Delivery of Health Care↗
PubMed2001

Mental health literacy: an impediment to the optimum treatment of major depression in the community.

BACKGROUND: Mental health literacy refers to the knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management and prevention. This study examined the mental health literacy and experience of depression in a random and representative community population. METHODS: The experience of depression and mental health literacy of 3010 subjects from a random and representative population were determined on the basis of responses to the mood module of the PRIME-MD and questions about a vignette of a person with features of major depression. RESULTS: Those with major depression had significantly more personal experience of depression than those with other depressions and those who were not depressed, but there were few significant differences between the groups in terms of mental health literacy. Of those with major depression, 40% considered anti-depressants helpful, but 40% also considered they were harmful. CONCLUSIONS: There is a considerable impediment to the recognition and management of major depression and a need for further community education programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Information literacy: a resource for nurses as lifelong learners.

The use of information technologies throughout the world continues to increase rapidly and inexorably. Information exchange is rapidly becoming a major economic commodity. The short half-life of professional and technical knowledge necessitates nursing graduates having generic qualities that will enable them to adapt to technical change and cope with an 'information overabundant environment'. Today's nurses must have the capacity to access information, both physically and intellectually; that is, they must be information-literate. Nurses need to be discerning information consumers in order to acquire knowledge and skills in relation to their jobs and social roles and as participants of a democratic society. This paper examines information literacy as a critical resource for nurses as lifelong learners, and explores how information literacy is situated in the nursing literature. The authors pose two questions. Firstly, just how information-literate and aware of information literacy is the nursing profession? Secondly, how can the attitudes, skills and knowledge associated with information literacy be fostered, cultivated and attained in nursing education?

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1999

Effect of literacy on neuropsychological test performance in nondemented, education-matched elders.

The current investigation compared neuropsychological test performance among nondemented literate and illiterate elders. The sample included participants in an epidemiological study of normal aging and dementia in the Northern Manhattan community. All participants were diagnosed as nondemented by a neurologist, and did not have history of Parkinson's disease, stroke, or head injury. Literacy level was determined by self-report. MANOVAs revealed a significant overall effect for literacy status (literate vs. illiterate) on neuropsychological test performance when groups were matched on years of education. The overall effect of literacy status remained significant after restricting the analyses to elders with no formal education, and after controlling for the effects of language of test administration. Specifically, illiterates obtained lower scores on measures of naming, comprehension, verbal abstraction, orientation, and figure matching and recognition. However tests of verbal list delayed recall, nonverbal abstraction, and category fluency were unaffected by literacy status, suggesting that these measures can be used to accurately detect cognitive decline among illiterate elders in this sample. Differences in organization of visuospatial information, lack of previous exposure to stimuli, and difficulties with interpretation of the logical functions of language are possible factors that contribute to our findings.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Literacy and comprehension of Beck Depression Inventory response alternatives.

This study explored the relationship of literacy level to comprehension of response alternatives from the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Twenty-nine adult basic education students, 14 senior citizens, and 20 oncology patients were given a brief literacy assessment and a comprehension test of selected BDI response alternatives. Three raters with clinical experience assessed comprehension. Lower literacy was significantly associated with less comprehension, even when other factors were controlled, yet comprehension problems were still found among higher literacy groups. The percent of participants who correctly paraphrased the selected BDI response alternatives ranged from 0 to 60%. These preliminary results suggest that poor comprehension of mental health measures is not only prevalent, but also cannot be estimated from patients' education or assessed reading levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Development of emergent literacy and early reading skills in preschool children: evidence from a latent-variable longitudinal study.

Although research has identified oral language, print knowledge, and phonological sensitivity as important emergent literacy skills for the development of reading, few studies have examined the relations between these aspects of emergent literacy or between these skills during preschool and during later reading. This study examined the joint and unique predictive significance of emergent literacy skills for both later emergent literacy skills and reading in two samples of preschoolers. Ninety-six children (mean age = 41 months, SD = 9.41) were followed from early to late preschool, and 97 children (mean age = 60 months, SD = 5.41) were followed from late preschool to kindergarten or first grade. Structural equation modeling revealed significant developmental continuity of these skills, particularly for letter knowledge and phonological sensitivity from late preschool to early grade school, both of which were the only unique predictors of decoding.

Child↗
PubMed2006

Contributions of mother-child storybook telling and joint writing to literacy development in kindergartners with hearing loss.

PURPOSE: This study investigated mother-child storybook telling and joint writing as predictors of early literacy among kindergartners with hearing loss. METHOD: Participants were 30 Israeli kindergartners with hearing loss and their mothers. Early literacy assessments tapped children's alphabetic skills (e.g., word writing, word recognition, and letter knowledge) and linguistic skills (e.g., phonological awareness, general knowledge, and receptive vocabulary). Each mother told her child the story of a wordless book and helped her child write words. Both interactions were videotaped and analyzed. RESULTS: Our major findings showed that maternal storybook telling correlated with linguistic skills, and maternal writing mediation correlated with basic alphabetic skills. A series of 3-step hierarchical regression analyses revealed that beyond children's age, children's degree of hearing loss, and joint writing, storybook telling predicted children's phonological awareness (22%), general knowledge (28%), and receptive vocabulary (18%). Beyond children's age, children's degree of hearing loss, and storybook telling, joint writing predicted word writing (15%), word recognition (31%), and letter knowledge (36%). IMPLICATIONS: Recommendations focused on encouraging parent and teacher awareness about the differential contributions of storybook telling and writing mediation to early literacy. We also advocated enhancing parents' skills for promoting children's literacy.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2005

Frequency discrimination and literacy skills in children with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss.

It has been suggested that specific reading disability (SRD) may be attributable to an impaired ability to perceive spectral differences between sounds that leads to a deficit in frequency discrimination and subsequent problems with language and literacy. The objective of the present study was three-fold. We aimed to (a) determine whether children with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss were impaired in their ability to discriminate frequency, (b) assess the extent to which any such deficits may be due to an inability to use information derived from phase locking, and (c) examine whether frequency discrimination abilities were predictive of measures of word and nonword reading and nonword repetition. Difference limens for frequency (DLFs) were obtained for 22 children with mild to moderate hearing loss (SNH group) and 22 age-matched controls (CA group) at central frequencies of 1 kHz, where phase-locking information is available, and 6 kHz, where it is not. A battery of standardized tests of language and literacy was also administered. The SNH group exhibited significantly elevated DLFs at both 1 and 6 kHz relative to controls, despite considerable variability of thresholds in both groups. Although no group differences were found for receptive and expressive vocabulary, receptive grammar, and nonword reading, the SNH group performed worse than controls on word reading and nonword repetition, even though word reading scores were age-appropriate. Frequency discrimination abilities were associated with reading and nonword repetition across groups, but these correlations largely disappeared when the two groups were analyzed separately. Together, these results provide evidence for a dissociation between impaired frequency discrimination and relatively "spared" language and literacy in children with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. These results cast doubt on the assertion that a deficit in frequency discrimination necessarily leads to marked deficits in the development of language and literacy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Invisible nursing: exploring health outcomes at a global level. Relationships between infant and under-5 mortality rates and the distribution of health professionals, GNP per capita, and female literacy.

AIMS: To explore the relationship between the global distribution of health professionals (physicians and nurses), gross national product per capita (GNP), female literacy and the health outcome indicators of infant, and under-5 mortality rates using available data from United Nations' (UN) sources. To consider the reliability and validity of the variables included, and the implications of the findings for health policy and practice, and for further research. DESIGN: Using a database on 155 countries, regression analyses were performed using GNP, female literacy, numbers of physicians per 1000 population and numbers of nurses per 1000 population as independent variables, and infant mortality (IMR) and under-5 mortality rates (u5MR) as dependent variables. RESULTS: Linear regression analyses give R2 values for the two mortality indicators (IMR and u5MR) of 63% and 66% for physicians and 51% and 52% for nurses. Multiple linear regression analyses reveal a more complex picture. Countries with high ratios of physicians and nurses to population relative to their GNP also tend to show low IMRs and u5MRs. However, when female literacy is included in the model, the majority of these outlying countries move back towards the regression line. Nurses disappear from the model altogether when regressed with physicians, GNP per capita and female literacy for both outcome indicators. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the acknowledged need for caution in the validity and reliability of the UN data sources used in the analyses, interesting positive relationships are identified between the input variables and mortality outputs. The implications for future health policy, practice and research are considered. These include the need for more reliable, comprehensive and up-to-date data sets.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed2004

The effects of literacy and education on the quantitative and qualitative aspects of semantic verbal fluency.

Semantic verbal fluency tasks are commonly used in neuropsychological assessment. Investigations of the influence of level of literacy have not yielded consistent results in the literature. This prompted us to investigate the ecological relevance of task specifics, in particular, the choice of semantic criteria used. Two groups of literate and illiterate subjects were compared on two verbal fluency tasks using different semantic criteria. The performance on a food criterion (supermarket fluency task), considered more ecologically relevant for the two literacy groups, and an animal criterion (animal fluency task) were compared. The data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative analysis indicated that the two literacy groups performed equally well on the supermarket fluency task. In contrast, results differed significantly during the animal fluency task. The qualitative analyses indicated differences between groups related to the strategies used, especially with respect to the animal fluency task. The overall results suggest that there is not a substantial difference between literate and illiterate subjects related to the fundamental workings of semantic memory. However, there is indication that the content of semantic memory reflects differences in shared cultural background--in other words, formal education--, as indicated by the significant interaction between level of literacy and semantic criterion.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Qualitative research in literacy acquisition: a framework for investigating reading in children with language impairment.

Although much has been published in the literature concerning literacy in children with language impairments, little is known concerning the process that the individual language-impaired child must go through to become a proficient reader. One reason for this may lie within the focus and rigor dictated by the methodologies typically used in literacy-related studies. This paper addresses some of the limitations of the available literacy literature among language-impaired populations and discusses how recent advances in qualitative research hold potential for significant methodological and clinical contributions to our understanding of literacy, specifically reading. A case study is presented demonstrating the usefulness of this methodological approach to describing the process of reading acquisition in a language-impaired child.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

AAC and literacy.

PURPOSE: To review current research on the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for prompting literacy in children with special educational needs. METHOD: Research studies relevant to emergent literacy and AAC use are reviewed. Studies focused on acquisition of literacy across various populations of children with special needs are reviewed. RESULTS: Existing literature suggests that AAC may provide strategies and systems to compensate for impairments and disabilities of individuals with severe communication disorders. CONCLUSION: AAC may support literacy learning in children with special educational needs.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Limiting the effects of the media on body image: does the length of a media literacy intervention make a difference?

This study examined whether or not the length of a media literacy intervention had an impact on awareness of sociocultural ideals, internalization of sociocultural ideals, and body dissatisfaction. Fifty-four traditional-aged undergraduate females were assigned to a control condition (25.9%), a video only condition (22.4%), a short-term single session intervention condition (22.4%), or a long-term multi-session intervention condition (29.3%). The long-term intervention did decrease body dissatisfaction and both the short- and long-term intervention conditions decreased internalization of sociocultural ideals. It appears that longer term media literacy interventions have more potential to reduce body dissatisfaction than shorter term media literacy interventions and both short- and long-term media literacy interventions reduce internalization of socio cultural ideals.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Literacy and knowledge, attitudes, and behavior about colorectal cancer screening.

This cross-sectional survey explored the association between functional health literacy and knowledge of, beliefs and attitudes about, and reported usage of colorectal cancer screening tests. The results indicate that functional health literacy, as assessed by the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA), is not an independent predictor of colorectal cancer screening knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, or behavior. Latino ethnicity and education, however, often predicted screening responses, suggesting that efforts to improve communication about colorectal cancer screening with Latino patients and patients with low education clearly are needed to reduce the disparities in awareness and utilization of colorectal cancer screening tests. This study also explored influences on intended screening behavior. Physician recommendation was found to be a powerful motivator of intention to undergo colorectal cancer screening regardless of literacy level, indicating that interventions aimed at increasing physician recommendation of colorectal cancer screening may be an effective way of increasing screening rates.

Acculturation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Language, literacy, and communication regarding medication in an anticoagulation clinic: a comparison of verbal vs. visual assessment.

Despite the importance of clinician-patient communication, little is known about rates and predictors of medication miscommunication. Measuring rates of miscommunication, as well as differences between verbal and visual modes of assessment, can inform efforts to more effectively communicate about medications. We studied 220 diverse patients in an anticoagulation clinic to assess concordance between patient and clinician reports of warfarin regimens. Bilingual research assistants asked patients to (1) verbalize their prescribed weekly warfarin regimen and (2) identify this regimen from a digitized color menu of warfarin pills. We obtained clinician reports of patient regimens from chart review. Patients were categorized as having regimen concordance if there were no patient-clinician discrepancies in total weekly dosage. We then examined whether verbal and visual concordance rates varied with patient's language and health literacy. Fifty percent of patients achieved verbal concordance and 66% achieved visual concordance with clinicians regarding the weekly warfarin regimen (P < .001). Being a Cantonese speaker and having inadequate health literacy were associated with a lower odds of verbal concordance compared with English speakers and subjects with adequate health literacy (AOR 0.44, 0.21-0.93, AOR 0.50, 0.26-0.99, respectively). Neither language nor health literacy was associated with visual discordance. Shifting from verbal to visual modes was associated with greater patient-provider concordance across all patient subgroups, but especially for those with communication barriers.Clinician-patient discordance regarding patients' warfarin regimen was common but occurred less frequently when patients used a visual aid. Visual aids may improve the accuracy of medication assessment, especially for patients with communication barriers.

Anticoagulants↗