Health literacy and health care in an inner-city, total laryngectomy population

Beitler, Jonathan J.; Chen, Amy Y.; Jacobson, Kara; Owens, Alma; Edwards, Megan; Johnstone, Peter A.S.

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2008.09.011

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 31, Issue 1 , Pages 29-31, January 2010

Health literacy and health care in an inner-city, total laryngectomy population

Jonathan J. Beitler, MD, MBA, FACR
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton Rd, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322-1013, USA. Tel.: +1 404 778 3473; fax: +1 404 778 4139.
Amy Y. Chen, MD, MPH
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
Kara Jacobson, MPH, CHES
- Emory Center on Health Outcomes and Quality, Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
Alma Owens, CCC, SLP
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
Megan Edwards, MPH
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Peter A.S. Johnstone, MD, MA
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

Received 30 June 2008 published online 27 March 2009.

Abstract

Background

Literacy in the head and neck cancer patient has been understudied. Health literacy (HL) is “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions.” Limited HL skills reduce access to health care. We surveyed our patients who underwent total laryngectomy (TL) to evaluate their HL.

Methods

Patients who had undergone TL at Grady Hospital (Atlanta, GA), an inner-city hospital, between 1988 and 1992 were identified. Sociodemographics, general health quality of life, HL, and alaryngeal voice assessment were performed.

Results

Thirty patients were eligible but 14 could not be located, 4 refused, and 4 were deceased or too ill to participate. More than one third of the remaining patients had severely inadequate HL scores.

Conclusion

Patients who underwent TL have a high incidence of becoming lost in the system as well as having inadequate health care literacy. Health literacy may be important when considering TL.