Differences in Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences among Senior Nursing Students

Background: Low health literacy has been identified as a significant public health problem. Also, higher expenditures due to longer hospital stays have been reported for persons with low health literacy. Nurses can assist patients with low health literacy to reduce their hospital stays and increase compliance with discharge instructions. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive research design was employed to assess knowledge and experiences of 192 senior nursing students. These students were administered the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences Survey (HL-KES), a 2- part survey that included assessment of knowledge about health literacy and experience in working with populations of low health literacy. Additional questions to assist in describing the sample population were included. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc tests were used to measure differences. Results: The results reveal that, at this point in their nursing education, senior nursing students lack health literacy knowledge and experiences. Statistically significant differences were found for health literacy knowledge among participants in the same program and for those enrolled at different program sites. Differences were found for health literacy experiences among participants, but these were not statistically significant due to unequal sample sizes between BSN and RN to BSN, and LPN/LVN to BSN participants. Conclusions: Regardless of program site, senior nursing students have some health literacy knowledge, but gaps exist. Mean scores for health literacy knowledge varied for participants and as a whole for program sites. Thus, differences in health literacy knowledge are most likely the result of how health literacy is addressed by different programs

Differences in Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences Among Senior Nursing Students

Background: Low health literacy has been identified as a significant public health problem. Also, higher expenditures due to longer hospital stays have been reported for persons with low health literacy. Nurses can assist patients with low health literacy to reduce their hospital stays and increase compliance with discharge instructions. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive research design was employed to assess knowledge and experiences of 192 senior nursing students. These students were administered the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences Survey (HL-KES), a 2-part survey that included assessment of knowledge about health literacy and experience in working with populations of low health literacy. Additional questions to assist in describing the sample population were included. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc tests were used to measure differences. Results: The results reveal that, at this point in their nursing education, senior nursing students lack health literacy knowledge and experiences. Statistically significant differences were found for health literacy knowledge among participants in the same program and for those enrolled at different program sites. Differences were found for health literacy experiences among participants, but these were not statistically significant due to unequal sample sizes between BSN and RN to BSN, and LPN/LVN to BSN participants. Conclusions: Regardless of program site, senior nursing students have some health literacy knowledge, but gaps exist. Mean scores for health literacy knowledge varied for participants and as a whole for program sites. Thus, differences in health literacy knowledge are most likely the result of how health literacy is addressed by different programs

Improving Healthcare Experiences for Transgender and Intersex Populations

Intersex is an umbrella term for individuals who are born with sex characteristics that do not typically fall into male or female categories. Individuals who are intersex make up about 1.7% of the United States population today and are identified within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTQIA+) community. Many people who are intersex identify as transgender, which relates to the social process of gender change, as they develop into adults. In Georgia, approximately 4% of the population identify as LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of the perceived discrimination from healthcare providers, non-inclusive organizational practices, and lack of skilled providers that serve as barriers to healthy outcomes for transgender and intersex individuals. Culturally competent care is necessary for physicians to provide an openly safe environment for people who are LGBTQIA+ to help improve their comfort level to disclose their health information. Recommendations for physicians caring for people who are LGBTQIA+ to incorporate into their clinics include: having acceptable advertising practices, educating staff and providers, maintaining biases, and providing inclusive intake forms

Improving Healthcare Experiences for Transgender and Intersex Populations

Intersex is an umbrella term for individuals who are born with sex characteristics that do not typically fall into male or female categories. Individuals who are intersex make up about 1.7% of the United States population today and are identified within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTQIA+) community. Many people who are intersex identify as transgender, which relates to the social process of gender change, as they develop into adults. In Georgia, approximately 4% of the population identify as LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of the perceived discrimination from healthcare providers, non-inclusive organizational practices, and lack of skilled providers that serve as barriers to healthy outcomes for transgender and intersex individuals. Culturally competent care is necessary for physicians to provide an openly safe environment for people who are LGBTQIA+ to help improve their comfort level to disclose their health information. Recommendations for physicians caring for people who are LGBTQIA+ to incorporate into their clinics include: having acceptable advertising practices, educating staff and providers, maintaining biases, and providing inclusive intake forms

Pregnancy Prevention in Early Adolescence: A Developmental Perspective

Although there is widespread interest in preventing teenage pregnancy, few interventions have been directed toward young adolescents. In part this neglect is understandable because adolescents under age 15 account for only a small percentage of teenage pregnancies (Pittman & Adams, 1988). At the same time, the lack of attention to younger adolescents is unfortunate on several counts. First, an increasing number of young adolescents are at risk. Rates of sexual activity have been rising in this group (Hofferth, Kahn, & Baldwin, 1987) and, because young adolescents are typically not consistent or effective contraceptive users, an increasing number of girls are becoming pregnant. Between 1973 and 1987 the pregnancy rate among girls under age 1 5 increased 2 3 % , from 14 to 17 per 1,000 (Henshaw, Kenney, Somberg, & Van Vort, 1989). In fact, this is the only group for whom pregnancy rates have not declined in recent years. Second, early adolescence represents an important window of opportunity for adolescent pregnancy prevention. During early adolescence, most young people become capable of reproduction and many become sexually active. Thus, prevention efforts need to start by this age if they are to precede the biological and behavioral onset of pregnancy risk. Furthermore, skills and attitudes developed in early adolescence may have long-term benefits, reducing pregnancy risk throughout the teenage years

The Challenges (and Rewards) of Educating Adolescents About Health

This presentation will expose participants to some teaching techniques that will engage their students and help them examine some of their protective factors. The activities are interactive and make the students become involved in the learning process

Timing of First Sexual Intercourse: The Role of Social Control, Social Learning, and Problem Behavior

Prior research has pointed to several distinct processes that may affect the timing of first intercourse among adolescents. In the present study, the role of six hypothesized processes was assessed in a sample of 289 rural adolescent boys and girls. Results support the importance of family socialization and problem behavior for both sexes, the role of biological factors for boys, and the role of social control processes for girls. Two other hypothesized influences--social class and poor psychosocial adjustment--were not supported in either gender. These results indicate that multiple processes influence the timing of first intercourse; thus, they underscore the need for eclectic predictive models that incorporate the multiplicity of influences

JusTeens Center: Teen Health Care and Health Education in Rural Georgia

This presentation was given during the American School Health Association Annual Conference

The ACS/CDC Advanced Academy: One State’s Experiences Implementing Initiatives to Improve the Quality of Health and Physical Education Programming

This presentation was given during the American School Health Association Annual Conference