Health literacy demands assessment of web-based COPD inhaler use education video series
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Background There is limited empirical attention paid to cognitive and health literacy-related demands of available educational materials that can influence the high prevalence of inhaler misuse in COPD. In addition to the clinical accuracy, timeliness, and quality of educational content, materials must be accessible, transparent, understandable, and actionable for COPD patients with varying health literacy levels. The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Foundation website provides an Inhaler Education Series that explains best practices for using approved inhalers and nebulizers to treat COPD.Aims Conduct a comprehensive health literacy demands assessment of the COPD Foundation’s Inhaler Education Series to explore its understandability, clarity, actionability, and accessibility.Methods Videos (n = 26) were assessed independently by two reviewers using three instruments: (1) Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-AV), assessing understandability and actionability; (2) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Accessible Health Information Technology for Limited-Literacy Populations Checklist (AHRQ Health IT Checklist) evaluating accessibility; and (3) the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Modified Clear Communication Index (CDC-CCI) analyzing clarity.Results The median PEMAT-Understandability score was 82% (Interquartile Range [IQR] = 0%). All videos earned 100% on the PEMAT-Actionability scale. Median AHRQ Health IT Checklist scores were also high (85%, IQR = 77%-85%). However, the modified CDC-CCI median score was only 56% (IQR = 44%-56%), with no videos earning CDC-CCI’s passing score of 90%. The inhaler-use videos (n = 14) had significantly higher modified CDC-CCI (P = 0.046) and AHRQ Health IT Checklist (P = 0.027) scores and more “likes” (P = 0.04) than the nebulizer-use videos (n = 12).Discussion Overall, this health-literacy-informed demands assessment confirmed the well-developed layout, directives, and use of visuals in most inhaler-use education videos. However, few videos portrayed the content in language familiar to patients and lacked clear summaries. Health-literacy-aligned patient education materials are critical for people with COPD who often have low health literacy and experience difficulty understanding medication use instructions, even when instructions are delivered using plain language. Findings suggest implications for enhancing the clarity of communication techniques to augment awareness and understanding of proper inhaler and nebulizer use techniques.
Institutions: University of Alabama, University of Pennsylvania
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4400583270