Pharmacists Can Directly Improve Health Literacy

October marks Health Literacy Month, a great time to ensure patients can access, understand, and use health information.^1,2 Health literacy is an essential component of Healthy People 2030, a set of national goals to improve health and well-being.³ Healthy People 2030 has updated its health literacy definitions to emphasize how crucial it is that patients make well-informed health decisions, using information provided to them.³ These efforts are also part of the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services in 2010.⁴ The 7 goals in the action plan emphasize the development and dissemination of accurate, accessible, and actionable information to patients, as well as the importance of building partnerships across stakeholders to implement necessary policy changes.⁴

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Pharmacists can play a direct role in accomplishing all these goals. They can leverage their close patient relationships to improve health literacy through medication therapy management (MTM) as part of the health care team.

Health Literacy and MTM

Improving health literacy can encourage patients to participate actively in their health care. Word choice is a critical component in the process, and using plain language makes it easier for patients to understand more about their pharmacotherapy regimen.² One of the FDA’s initiatives is to improve written medication information for patients, and the agency has proposed a new type of required medication guide called Patient Medication Information (PMI).⁵ The PMI would highlight the most critical aspects of the prescription drug information in a 1-page document.⁵ The goal of the PMI is to improve public health with clear, practical, and essential drug information in a patient-friendly format.⁵ Pharmacists would provide the PMI with prescription medications dispensed at the pharmacy, and patients would also have the option of receiving the PMI electronically. The FDA is currently reviewing public comments on the proposed rule and is considering issuing a final rule.⁵

In July 2022, the International Pharmaceutical Federation hosted a roundtable to discuss pharmacy-led actions for improving health literacy in the community. The group highlighted the following pharmacy-led strategies⁶:

• Enhancing pharmacists’ knowledge of their impact on improving health literacy
• Creating a multidisciplinary approach through the health care system
• Educating patients about the pharmacist’s role in health literacy
• Identifying strategies to assist with pharmacist workflow
• Providing continuing education and training to develop skills to enhance patient health literacy
• Overcoming communication and language barriers
• Implementing a patient-centered care approach
• Using evidence-based tools through digital platforms

One study identified and evaluated how pharmacists can improve health literacy among patients.⁷ First-year pharmacy students at Temple University School of Pharmacy had an optional assignment about strategies for pharmacists to improve health literacy. The essay question was, “What can pharmacists do to improve the health literacy of the patients they serve?”⁷ The response rate for the essay was 68.9%.⁷ More than 30% of participants emphasized that educating patients about their medication’s adverse effects and disease states can improve health literacy.⁷ Additionally, 30% of the students noted that using simple language and providing translators can help patients manage their health conditions.⁷

Additional recommendations included providing resources such as pamphlets, recommending reputable drug information websites, and building a trusted relationship between pharmacists and patients.⁷ Pharmacy students also recommended phone calls or text message reminders about medications and hosting health care classes.⁷ The results of this study highlight pharmacists’ vital role in enhancing patient health literacy.

REFERENCES

1. October national health observances: health literacy, breast cancer, youth sports, and HIV/AIDS awareness. US Department of Health and Human Services. September 25, 2023. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://health.gov/news/202309/october-national-health-observances-health-literacy-breast-cancer-youth-sports-and-hivaids-awareness

2. What is health literacy? CDC. Updated July 11, 2023. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/learn/index.html

3. Health literacy in Healthy People 2030. US Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/healthliteracy-healthy-people-2030

4. National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. US Department of Health and Human Services. Updated August 24, 2021. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://health.gov/our-work/national-health-initiatives/health-literacy/national-action-planimprove-health-literacy

5. Patient medication information (PMI). FDA. Updated July 22, 2024. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fdaslabeling-resources-human-prescription-drugs/patientmedication-information-pmi

6. International Pharmaceutical Federation. Identifying Pharmacy-Led Actions for Improving Health Literacy: Report From an International Advisory Roundtable. International Pharmaceutical Federation; 2023. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://www.fip.org/file/5533

7. John S, Abdelmalek MS, Refela J, Breve F. Improving the health literacy of patients: a qualitative survey of student pharmacists. Cureus. 2023;15(2):e34716. doi:10.7759/cureus.34716