Correlating reading comprehension and health numeracy among adults with low literacy.
OBJECTIVE
Using the Test of Functional Health Literacy for Adults (TOFHLA), a pilot study was conducted to assess whether reading comprehension and numeracy scores sufficiently correlate in health contexts among adults with low literacy skills.


METHODS
The TOFHLA was administered to 144 adults with low literacy enrolled in a health literacy program prior to the start of coursework. Raw scores for reading and numeracy were calculated. Weighted numeracy scores were calculated and compared to raw reading comprehension scores.


RESULTS
Among 143 participants, 20% (n=28) had a higher numeracy score than reading comprehension score, while an additional 20% scored lower in numeracy than in reading comprehension.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found that reading comprehension and numeracy skill in the context of understanding health information do not necessarily correlate for specific disadvantaged groups. This finding calls attention to the need to further examine numeracy as a construct which is conceptually separate from reading comprehension, and highlights the importance of including a numerate component in health literacy evaluations.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study have important implications for medical decision-makers, health educators, and health promoters working with traditional methods of assessing health literacy.
Golbeck
Amanda
A
University of Montana, USA.
Paschal
Angelia
A
Jones
Amy
A
Hsiao
Tracy
T
D000328:Adult; D032882:Comprehension; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011932:Reading; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires