TO THE EDITOR:
Berkman and colleagues' comprehensive review (1) updated the literature on health literacy since 2004. I appreciated this substantial undertaking and would like to include an update. The authors state that “[n]o evidence concerning oral health literacy (speaking and listening skills) and outcomes was found.” However, literature that addresses oral literacy and health outcomes does, indeed, exist.
Several studies have focused on the importance of dialogue in health by addressing oral and aural literacy. Four articles (2–5) have discussed measures of oral literacy. Two studies examining the relationship between oral literacy and health outcomes, measured skills by using ...
References
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Berkman ND ,Sheridan SL ,Donahue KE ,Halpern DJ ,Crotty K . Low health literacy and health outcomes: an updated systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155:97-107. [PMID: 21768583] LinkGoogle Scholar - 2.
Roter DL ,Erby LH ,Larson S ,Ellington L . Assessing oral literacy demand in genetic counseling dialogue: preliminary test of a conceptual framework. Soc Sci Med. 2007;65:1442-57. [PMID: 17614177] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 3.
Roter DL ,Erby L ,Larson S ,Ellington L . Oral literacy demand of prenatal genetic counseling dialogue: Predictors of learning. Patient Educ Couns. 2009;75:392-7. [PMID: 19250792] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 4.
Roter DL . Oral literacy demand of health care communication: challenges and solutions. Nurs Outlook. 2011;59:79-84. [PMID: 21402203] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 5.
Koch-Weser S ,Rudd RE ,Dejong W . Quantifying word use to study health literacy in doctor-patient communication. J Health Commun. 2010;15:590-602. [PMID: 20812122] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 6.
Rosenfeld L ,Rudd R ,Emmons KM ,Acevedo-García D ,Martin L ,Buka S . Beyond reading alone: the relationship between aural literacy and asthma management. Patient Educ Couns. 2011;82:110-6. [PMID: 20399060] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 7.
Martin LT ,Schonlau M ,Haas A ,Derose KP ,Rudd R ,Loucks EB ,et al . Literacy skills and calculated 10-year risk of coronary heart disease. J Gen Intern Med. 2011;26:45-50. [PMID: 20809155] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar
Author, Article, and Disclosure Information
Lindsay Rosenfeld,
From Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115.
Disclosures:Grant (money to institution): W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Payment for lectures including on speakers bureaus: Health Literacy Workshops, Health Impact Assessment Workshops; Consultancy: Literacy Information and Communication System, Kent State University.
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