Health Literacy: Do Patients Understand?

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You must score 70% or better to pass this course. Select one answer for each question by clicking the circle at the left of your choice. To change your selection, click a different circle. Do not skip any questions.

Test Question

1. One aspect of health literacy is:

a. The inability to read or write or to engage in self-care.
b. The ability to understand basic health information and make appropriate health decisions.
c. The ability to solve problems at levels necessary to function on the job and in society.
d. The ability to use the Internet to do research about health issues.

Test Question

2. All of the following are key elements of plain language except:

a. Organizing information so that the most important points come first.
b. Breaking complex information into understandable chunks.
c. Using the passive voice.
d. Using simple language and defining technical terms.

Test Question

3. The language of medicine is preferred when communicating with patients because it is the most precise and specific.

a. True
b. False

Test Question

4. Which one statement about health literacy is true?

a. Adults with low health literacy are more likely to seek out preventive care.
b. Lower rates of hospitalization are linked to low health literacy.
c. Adults with below-basic health literacy are more likely to have medical insurance.
d. Nearly 9 out of 10 adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease.

Test Question

5. People most likely to experience low health literacy are:

a. Native speakers of English with a high-school diploma or GED certificate.
b. Younger adults with moderate income levels.
c. Older adults with low incomes.
d. Non-native speakers with a college degree.

Test Question

6. When compared to those with adequate health literacy skills, patients with limited skills:

a. Are more likely to go to clinics than to the emergency room for care.
b. Enter the healthcare system when they are sicker.
c. Are less likely to have chronic conditions.
d. Are more likely to engage in preventative healthcare practices.

Test Question

7. The health communication process includes planning, pre-testing, implementing, and assessing, and cycles through the stages as often as necessary.

a. True
b. False

Test Question

8. In designing health information materials, identify intended users based on epidemiology, demographics, behavior, culture, and attitude. This process is called:

a. Fragmentation
b. Inclusion
c. Segmentation
d. Appropriation

Test Question

9. The following practices have been shown to improve the usability of health information. Which practice is incorrect?

a. Ensure that health information is relevant to the intended users' social and cultural contexts.
b. Avoid using pictures to teach key concepts—words are better.
c. Use no more than four main messages.
d. Use at least 12-point font—avoid using all capital letters, italics, and fancy script.

Test Question

10. People searching the Internet fail to find the information they seek more than half the time.

a. True
b. False

Test Question

11. The "teach-back" method is a good way to make sure the consumer understands health information. This technique involves asking the person receiving the healthcare information to:

a. Restate the information in his or her own words.
b. Repeat back to you exactly what he or she has been told.
c. Teach it to a family member.
d. Write down an outline of the information.

Test Question

12. Which statement is true about healthcare documents?

a. Forms with blank spaces are easier to understand than regular prose.
b. They are usually clear and easy to fill out.
c. Forms with blank spaces are more difficult to understand than regular prose.
d. They are designed for people with limited health literacy.

Test Question

13. Signs with universal symbols are not recommended for those with limited health literacy skills.

a. True
b. False

Test Question

14. With regards to health decision making, people with limited health literacy:

a. Have an intuitive knowledge of treatment options.
b. Ask more verbal questions to enhance understanding.
c. Understand the relationship between lifestyle factors and health outcomes.
d. May not know when or how to seek care.

Test Question

15. Healthy decision making is an important part of health literacy. Research shows that more health information:

a. Make it easier to make healthy decisions and leads to improved outcomes.
b. Does not necessarily improve decision making and often may undermine it.
c. Helps people adopt more complex strategies and consider more of the information.
d. Is the only element of health decision making.

Test Question

16. The goals in improving health literacy are to improve communication, increase adherence to treatment, increase the ability to engage in self-care, improve health status, and improve efficiency and cost savings to the health system as a whole.

a. True
b. False

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