International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Public health

INTRODUCTION: Health literacy is defined by US Healthy People 2010 planning documents as ‘the degree to which people can obtain, process and understand basic health information and services that they need to make appropriate health decisions.” In the US, focus on health literacy has been accompanied by the development of new federal standards related to Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS). The US Office of Minority Health defines cultural and linguistic competence in the provision of health care as: “a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies that come together in a system, agency or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations.” Health literacy interventions typically strengthen consumer ability to understand the health care system; CLAS interventions typically strengthen provider ability to understand and serve its consumers. Both sides of this issue are particularly relevant in the culturally diverse and frequently under-served circumpolar north.

METHODS/OBJECTIVES/RESULTS It is expected that interventions to improve health literacy and cultural competence will have a positive impact on health communication, but baseline data on both health literacy and cultural competence are missing in Alaska and in much of the circumpolar north. This session will describe ongoing pilot study in Alaska to help address these issues.

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:

1) List objectives, methods and progress to date of a pilot study with Alaskan women and providers investigating the role of health literacy and cultural competence in cancer communication.

2) Describe use of a new health literacy assessment tool "The Newest Vital Sign" with a sample of Alaskan women.

3) Describe at least two tools used to assess the general 'readability' of a sample of health education materials related to cancer communication

4) Describe highlights from a cultural competence assessment of a sample of Alaskan providers providing cancer communication to Alaskan women.

5) Discuss key findings and public health implications of the study as well as plans for community-based participatory follow-up intervention study and opportunities for collaborative research in circumpolar north.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)