Access to Health with Readable Immunization Information

Jacox, Ada

Abstract

The National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS)(1993) suggest that 90 million (47% of the adult population have poor reading and comprehension skills. This recent information highlights the importance of considering literacy when developing patient education and consent for treatment materials. The patient education literature commonly used throughout the nation concerning immunization is not """"""""user friendly,"""""""" especially for the low-income urban client. Among this literature are materials offered to parents regarding their children's' immunization needs, including a consent for treatment, that parents cannot adequately comprehend. The fastest growing population groups, minorities and the disadvantaged, are not reaping the benefits of comprehensive health care. Mainstream health education often fails to reach this population. Even though there are several economic, social, and essential health benefits of immunizations, millions of children in this country and not receiving vaccines within the appropriate recommended schedules. Limited education, large family size, low socioeconomic income, members of an ethnic or minority groups, receiving health care in a public agency single parent families and starting the immunization series late were all found to be correlates with failure to immunize children (Robinson, Stephen, & Linn, 1993). One of the reasons parents of young children do not access the health system and fail to obtain immunization for their children of follow proper immunization schedules, is that they may not be able to read and/or comprehend the information provided to them by the health centers and immunization clinics.
The specific aims of this two year long investigation are to (1) develop modified versions of two patient information/consent for treatment pamphlets, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis and Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, to lower the reading levels and increase multi-cultural sensitivity; (2) assess the reading and comprehension abilities of low income urban clients in immunization clients (parents), and (3) conduct a randomized clinical trial on a sample of 132 low income urban clients (parents) to determine if the modified version of the immunization/consent for treatment pamphlet result in greater comprehension of critical information.