Asthma and COPD patients' perceived link between health literacy core domains and self-management of their condition

Iraj Poureslami; Jessica Shum; Roger Goldstein; Samir Gupta; Shawn D Aaron; Kim L Lavoie; Claude Poirier; Saron Kassay; Kassie Starnes; Alizeh Akhtar; J Mark FitzGerald; Canadian Airways Health Literacy Study Group

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2020.02.011

Asthma and COPD patients' perceived link between health literacy core domains and self-management of their condition

Patient Educ Couns. 2020 Jul;103(7):1415-1421. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.02.011. Epub 2020 Feb 9.

Affiliations

¹ Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, Institute for Heart and Lung Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
² West Park's Respiratory Rehabilitation Service Toronto, West Park Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Division of Respirology in Department of Medicine U-Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵ Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁶ Centre Hospital, University of Montreal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁷ Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁸ Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, Institute for Heart and Lung Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: mark.fitzgerald@vch.ca.

PMID: 32087989
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.02.011

Abstract

Objective: Health literacy (HL) is a person's ability to practically apply a wide range of cognitive and non-cognitive skills, to make health-related decisions. Currently, no tool applies all HL core domains to capture necessary data to measures HL in adult asthma and COPD patients. We endeavored to develop a comprehensive, function-based tool that adequately and accurately measures HL skills of this patient population. We explored the perspectives of patients related to each core HL domain, with an emphasis on self-management practices.

Methods: Sixteen focus groups were conducted (n = 93; 40 asthma and 53 COPD) across Canada. Data was analyzed using NVivo12.

Results: Thirteen subthemes were identified within five HL domains: (a) access: active access; passive access; lack of access; (b) understanding: how to improve understanding; (c) trustworthiness; relevancy and validity of information: pre- and post- application of information; (d) communication: barriers to proper communication; (e) application of information: making health decisions.

Conclusions: Participants provided valuable insight in terms of disease management topics and corresponding items to include in our HL tool.

Practice implications: Involvement of patients from initial stage allowed us to develop a tool that will serve as a first ever developed HL tool for asthma and COPD patient group.

Keywords: Asthma; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Chronic respiratory disease; Focus groups; Health literacy; Qualitative study; Self-management.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Asthma* / therapy
Canada
Health Literacy*
Humans
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / therapy
Self-Management*

Grants and funding

CIHR/Canada