Summer undergraduate biomedical research program for underrepresented minority students in a rural, low-income state.

Introduction: Diversity can enhance the agenda and quality of biomedical research, but a dearth of underrepresented minorities and women serve as biomedical researchers. The study purpose was to examine the impact of the a summer undergraduate research program on self-efficacy in research, scientific communication, and leadership as well as scientific identity, valuing objectives of the scientific community, and intent to pursue a biomedical research career.

Methods: Underrepresented minority and female undergraduate students participated in a mentored research experience in a rural, low-income state.

Heart Disease Knowledge and Awareness in African American and Hispanic Women.

Objectives: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among US women. Minority women have higher rates of CHD and are more likely to experience adverse outcomes. Because of racial disparities in CHD outcomes, the purpose of this study was to assess CHD knowledge and awareness in African American and Hispanic women.

Outcomes of the UAMS summer undergraduate research program to increase diversity in research and health professions.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) aims to increase diversity in research and health-related careers. The SURP provides underrepresented minority (URM) and disadvantaged students with research, mentoring, and networking experiences; real-life surgical observations; and simulated cardiovascular demonstrations. A postprogram survey was developed to assess program outcomes and explore ways of improving the program to stimulate URM and disadvantaged students' interest in research and health-related careers.

Performance measures of racially underrepresented Ph.D. students in biomedical sciences: The UAMS IMSD Program Outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to identify performance measures of racially underrepresented minority (RUM) Ph.D. trainees who needed additional training initiatives to assist with completing the UAMS biomedical science degree.

Health Literacy Evaluation of Opioid Patient Education Materials for Orthopaedic Surgery.

Increased opioid use in the United States has resulted in greater incidence of misuse. Orthopaedic patients are more likely to be prescribed opioids for pain. Low health literacy is related to opioid misuse; therefore, orthopaedic patient education tools on use of opioids must be easy to read, understand, and use for patients of all skill levels to be effective.

Development and Implementation of the Health Literacy Program in Rural Counties.

Background: Improvements in health literacy are unlikely without intervention in community settings. However, interventions appropriate for delivery in these settings are lacking, limiting reach to rural adults who are disproportionately affected by low health literacy and poor health outcomes. The Program was developed through a research-practice partnership to educate rural residents to effectively advocate and participate in their own health care.

Screening Patients Who Speak Spanish for Low Health Literacy.

Background: Inadequate health literacy is a national health problem that affects about 90 million people from all racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Conceptual and empirical models of health literacy position language as one of the most significant contributors to health literacy.

Objective: A validated Spanish health literacy screening question asks how confident patients are at filling out medical forms, but it does not clarify whether the forms are in English or in Spanish, contributing to ambiguity and potentially affecting validity.

Rationale and development of a randomized pragmatic trial to improve diabetes outcomes in patient-centered medical homes serving rural patients.

Proper diabetes self-care requires patients to have considerable knowledge, a range of skills, and to sustain multiple health behaviors. Self-management interventions are needed that can be readily implemented and sustained in rural clinics with limited resources that disproportionately care for patients with limited literacy. Researchers on our team developed an evidence-based, patient-centered, low literacy intervention promoting diabetes self-care that includes: 1) the American College of Physicians (ACP) Diabetes Guide that uses plain language and descriptive photographs to teach core diabetes concepts and empower patients to initiate behavior change; 2) a brief counseling strategy to assist patients in developing short-term, explicit and attainable goals for behavior change ('action plans'); and 3) a training module for health coaches that prepares them to assume educator/counselor roles with the Diabetes Guide as a teaching tool.

Health literacy and surgery expectations in total hip and knee arthroplasty patients.

Objectives: This study assessed patients' health literacy and expectations for total hip (THA) and total knee (TKA) replacement surgery, and compared health literacy levels of patients and their caregivers.

Methods: A convenience sample of 200 THA/TKA participants, patients and their caregivers, participated in this study.

Results: Results demonstrated no statistical difference in health literacy between patients and their caregivers.

Readability of Patient Educational Materials for Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

This study aimed to evaluate patient education materials that are focused on total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using health literacy best practices and plain language principles as frameworks. Readability assessments were conducted on a sample of nine patient education documents that are commonly given to THA and TKA surgery patients. Mean readability scores were compared across the sample.

Improving readability of informed consents for research at an academic medical institution.

Introduction: The final rule for the protection of human subjects requires that informed consent be "in language understandable to the subject" and mandates that "the informed consent must be organized in such a way that facilitates comprehension." This study assessed the readability of Institutional Review Board-approved informed consent forms at our institution, implemented an intervention to improve the readability of consent forms, and measured the first year impact of the intervention.

Methods: Readability assessment was conducted on a sample of 217 Institutional Review Board-approved informed consents from 2013 to 2015.

Health Literacy Demands of Patient-Reported Evaluation Tools in Orthopedics: A Mixed-Methods Case Study.

Background: In response to an assessment of organizational health literacy practices at a major academic health center, this case study evaluated the health literacy demands of patient-reported outcome measures commonly used in orthopedic surgery practices to identify areas for improvement.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze the readability and patient feedback of orthopedic patient-reported outcome materials. Qualitative results were derived from focus group notes, observations, recordings, and consensus documents.

An Assessment of Organizational Health Literacy Practices at an Academic Health Center.

Background: Organizational health literacy is the degree to which an organization considers and promotes the health literacy of patients. Addressing health literacy at an organizational level has the potential to have a greater impact on more health consumers in a health system than individual-level approaches.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess health care practices at an academic health center using the 10 attributes of a health-literate health care organization.

Health Literacy and Opioid Use in Orthopaedic Patients.

Opioid misuse has been linked to patient health literacy. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of low health literacy in a sample of orthopaedic patients on opioids. Data were extracted from an electronic medical record database using queries that included an 8-month time frame, active status in an orthopaedic clinic, ICD-10 codes for opioids, and health literacy screening results.

Readability of Patient Education Materials in Hand Surgery and Health Literacy Best Practices for Improvement.

Purpose: This study aimed to update a portion of a 2008 study of patient education materials from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Web site with new readability results, to compare the results to health literacy best practices, and to make recommendations to the field for improvement.

Methods: A sample of 77 patient education documents were downloaded from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Web site, handcare.org, and assessed for readability using 4 readability tools.