title: Testing the utility of the newest vital sign (NVS) health literacy assessment tool in older African-American patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate utility of the newest vital sign (NVS) which can be completed in 3min compared to the short version test of functional literacy in adults (S-TOFHLA) that takes 7min for health literacy in the older African American patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 62 older (age>65 years) African American patients and administered the NVS and the S-TOFHLA. A score of less than 4 for the NVS and less than 16 for the S-TOFHLA was indicative of limited health literacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of our patients was 73.2+7.9 years with an average education level of twelfth grade. Using S-TOFHLA 51% of the subjects were deemed to be sufficiently literate, with a score of 23.0+8.6 compared to 56% on the NVS with a score of 3.0+1.9. The average time for completing the NVS was 11min in our patient population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our data, while health literacy level can be assessed with the NVS its practicality as a quick screening tool in the elderly population appears limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowing the level of patient's health literacy may help physicians deliver health information in the format that patients can understand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. pjpatel@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: Pragnesh J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Steinberg
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joel
authors.forename: Goveas
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rovena
authors.forename: Sailja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedireddy
authors.forename: Saima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rachmale
authors.forename: Meghna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: B Bibban
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Deol
authors.forename: Lavosier
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardozo
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010361:Patients; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055986:Vital Signs