title: Using the "Newest Vital Sign" to assess health literacy in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility, utility, and validity of using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) tool to assess health literacy in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven parent-child dyads individually completed the NVS and a Home Literacy Environment single-item screening question (No. of children's books in the home).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority (72%; n = 34) of parent-child dyads had adequate health literacy (NVS scores ≥4), with no significant differences (p = .95) between children's NVS scores (M = 4.8, SD = 1.5) and parents (M = 4.8, SD = 1.6). A moderate, positive correlation was found between children's and parents' NVS scores (rs = .35, p = .017). Of note was that all of the parents (n = 4) and children (n = 6) who reported having only 10 or fewer children's books in their homes had NVS scores less than 4, indicating inadequate health literacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NVS is a quick screening mechanism for identifying households that have adequate health literacy levels. Asking children the Home Literacy Environment single-question screening item (No. of children's books) provided additional insight that confirmed and extended findings from the NVS.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Driessnack
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perkhounkova
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents
keywords: Newest vital sign; children; health literacy