Review Assessment: Health Literacy Quiz

User Steven Godelman

Submitted 10/2/09 12:35 PM
Name Health Literacy Quiz
Status Completed
Score 10 out of 10 points
Time Elapsed 0 hours, 0 minutes, and 29 seconds out of 0 hours and 30 minutes allowed.
Instructions Please note the time when you open this assessment. You have 30 minutes in
which to finish; you will not be allowed extra time so please watch to make sure you
do not go over or you will be assessed a penalty for each minute you go over.

After your first attempt you will be taken to a page that will tell you your score. Also
you may check your score by clicking on Tools in the Course main menu and then
My Grades.
Question 1 1 out of 1 points
Which of the following is the strongest predictor of a person’s health
status?

Selected Answer:
c. Literacy skills
Correct Answer:
c. Literacy skills
Feedback: The correct answer is “c” (Literacy skills). Although low
health literacy can affect everyone regardless of
background or educational level, studies on the issue
show that limited literacy skills are a stronger predictor
of an individual's health status than age, income,
employment status, education level, and racial or ethnic
group.
“Health Literacy: Report of the Council on Scientific
Affairs.” JAMA 1999:281:552-557.
Question 2 1 out of 1 points
Who is NOT at risk for low health literacy?
 Selected Answer:
e. None of the above
Correct Answer:
e. None of the above
Feedback: The correct answer is “e” (None of the above). Everyone
in the United States is susceptible regardless of age, race,
education or income.
“Health Literacy and the Prescription Drug Experience: The
Frontline Perspective from Patients, Physicians and
Pharmacists.” RoperASW, September 2002.

Center for Health Care Strategies, Fact Sheet: “Who Suffers

from Poor Health Literacy?”

Question 3 1 out of 1 points

What percentage of patients forgets what the doctor told them as soon
as they leave the office?

Selected Answer:
a. 80 percent
Correct Answer:
a. 80 percent
Feedback: The correct answer is “a” (80 percent). Up to 80% of
patients forget what their doctor tells them as soon as
they leave the office. And nearly 50% of what they do
remember is recalled incorrectly.

“Patients’ memory for medical information.” Journal of the

Royal Society of Medicine 2003:96:219-222.
Question 4 1 out of 1 points
How many adult Americans have difficulty reading and understanding
health information?
 Selected Answer:
b. 90 million
Correct Answer:
b. 90 million
Feedback: The correct answer is “b” (90 million). According to the
Institute of Medicine, nearly half of all American adults
--90 million people-- have difficulty understanding and
using health information.
“Adult Literacy in America.” National Center for Education Statistics,
U.S. Dept of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement
(NCES 1993-275), April 2002.
Question 5 1 out of 1 points
Which of the following are coping mechanisms used by patients with
low health literacy?

Selected Answer:
d. All of the above.
Correct Answer:
d. All of the above.
Feedback: The correct answer is “d” (All of the above). People with
low health literacy are often embarrassed or ashamed to
admit they have difficulty understanding health
information and instructions. They use well-practiced
coping mechanisms that effectively mask their problem.

“Adult Literacy in America.” National Center for Education

Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education, Office of Educational
Research and Improvement (NCES 1993-275), April 2002.
Question 6 1 out of 1 points
Which of these statements about people with low health literacy is
FALSE?
 Selected Answer:
e. None of the above.

Correct Answer:
e. None of the above.

Feedback: The correct answer is “e” (None of the above). All of the
statements are true. Low health literacy negatively
impacts compliance, clinical outcomes and healthcare
costs.

“20 Common Problems in Primary Care.” Barry D. Weiss,

MD, editor. McGraw-Hill, 1999.

“Health Literacy and the Risk of Hospital Admission.”

David Baker, MD, MPH, Ruth Parker, MD, et al. J Gen
Intern Med1998:13:791-798.

Center on an Aging Society, Institute for Health Care

Research and Policy (Georgetown University): Health
Literacy Fact Sheet. March 2003.
Question 7 1 out of 1 points
Health literacy is an issue only for those providers treating ethnic
minorities.

Selected Answer: False

Correct Answer: False
Feedback: The correct answer is “b” (False). Although ethnic
minority groups are disproportionately affected by low
literacy, the majority of those with low literacy skills in
the United States are white, native-born Americans.

Center for Health Care Strategies, Fact Sheet: “Who Suffers

from Poor Health Literacy?”
Question 8 1 out of 1 points
The average adult reading level in the United States is:
 Selected Answer:
b. 8th-9th grade
Correct Answer:
b. 8th-9th grade
Feedback: The correct answer is “b” (8th-9th grade). The average
adult American reading level is 8th to 9th grade.
However, nearly 1 in 5 adults read at or below the 5th
grade level; and nearly 2 out of 5 older Americans and
minorities read at or below that level.

“Adult Literacy in America (NALS)” National Center for

Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education, Office of
Educational Research and Improvement (NCES 1993-275),
April 2002.
Question 9 1 out of 1 points
Encouraging patients to ask more questions during the exam will
increase the length of their visit.

Selected Answer: False

Correct Answer: False
Feedback: The correct answer is “b” (False). Fearing lengthy
appointments, most doctors allow patients to talk for an
average of 22 seconds before taking the lead. Research
shows, however, that if allowed to speak freely, the
average patient would initially speak for less than two
minutes. Encouraging questions during the initial visit
may require a short-term time investment; however, the
long-term payoff may include more accurate compliance,
less follow-up visits, and shorter, more focused
interactions as the patient proceeds through his/her
condition.

British Medical Journal, vol. 325, p.682-683, September

2002.
Question 10 1 out of 1 points
Health literacy refers only to the ability to read and understand
written information.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer: False
Feedback: The correct answer is “b” (False). Health literacy is
broader than general literacy; it includes the ability to
process numbers (numeracy) and navigate the health
care system.

“Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion.”

Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, April 2004.