Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway
Objective When discharged from hospital patients are often assumed to have sufficient health literacy (HL) to participate in their medical treatment and manage medical self-care after discharge. However, limited HL is a widespread concern and patient participation during discharge is lacking. In thi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2022-06-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e058473.full |
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| author | Liv Mathiesen Morten Mowé Yvonne Andersson Stine Eidhammer Rognan Kajsa Rebecka Bengtsson Helene Berg Lie Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong |
| author_facet | Liv Mathiesen Morten Mowé Yvonne Andersson Stine Eidhammer Rognan Kajsa Rebecka Bengtsson Helene Berg Lie Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong |
| author_sort | Liv Mathiesen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective When discharged from hospital patients are often assumed to have sufficient health literacy (HL) to participate in their medical treatment and manage medical self-care after discharge. However, limited HL is a widespread concern and patient participation during discharge is lacking. In this study, we explore how HL influences medication communication during hospital discharge.Design A qualitative case study, comprising unstructured observations of patient–healthcare personnel (HCP) encounters followed by semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using content analysis.Setting An internal medicines ward at a university hospital in Norway.Participant Fifteen patients aged 40–89 years were included close to the day of discharge.Results The following themes describing dimensions of HL emerged: (1) access, (2) understand, (3) appraise and (4) apply. Most patients sought access to medication information from HCP, while some felt dependent on HCP to provide it. However, their abilities to understand, evaluate and make informed decisions were challenged, partly because HCPs’ ability to adapt their communication to the patient’s knowledgebase varied.Conclusion The results give a broader understanding of how HL influences medication communication during hospital discharge. To consider central dimensions of HL is important to achieve optimal medication communication, as the communication only can be exercised within the frames of the patient’s HL. The findings in this study support that HL should be described as a shared responsibility between the patients and HCP. Attention should be focused to the HCP’s responsibility to adapt the communication to the patient’s knowledgebase. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e2ed42c234804c839b8a985bd12bdbdc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-e2ed42c234804c839b8a985bd12bdbdc2025-01-28T07:50:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-06-0112610.1136/bmjopen-2021-058473Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in NorwayLiv Mathiesen0Morten Mowé1Yvonne Andersson2Stine Eidhammer Rognan3Kajsa Rebecka Bengtsson4Helene Berg Lie5Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong6Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayDivision of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Research, Hospital Pharmacies Enterprise, South Eastern Norway, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Pharmaceutical Services, Oslo Hospital Pharmacy, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayPharmacy Practice and Policy, Institution of Pharmacy, Uppsala, SwedenObjective When discharged from hospital patients are often assumed to have sufficient health literacy (HL) to participate in their medical treatment and manage medical self-care after discharge. However, limited HL is a widespread concern and patient participation during discharge is lacking. In this study, we explore how HL influences medication communication during hospital discharge.Design A qualitative case study, comprising unstructured observations of patient–healthcare personnel (HCP) encounters followed by semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using content analysis.Setting An internal medicines ward at a university hospital in Norway.Participant Fifteen patients aged 40–89 years were included close to the day of discharge.Results The following themes describing dimensions of HL emerged: (1) access, (2) understand, (3) appraise and (4) apply. Most patients sought access to medication information from HCP, while some felt dependent on HCP to provide it. However, their abilities to understand, evaluate and make informed decisions were challenged, partly because HCPs’ ability to adapt their communication to the patient’s knowledgebase varied.Conclusion The results give a broader understanding of how HL influences medication communication during hospital discharge. To consider central dimensions of HL is important to achieve optimal medication communication, as the communication only can be exercised within the frames of the patient’s HL. The findings in this study support that HL should be described as a shared responsibility between the patients and HCP. Attention should be focused to the HCP’s responsibility to adapt the communication to the patient’s knowledgebase.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e058473.full |
| spellingShingle | Liv Mathiesen Morten Mowé Yvonne Andersson Stine Eidhammer Rognan Kajsa Rebecka Bengtsson Helene Berg Lie Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway BMJ Open |
| title | Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway |
| title_full | Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway |
| title_fullStr | Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway |
| title_short | Health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge: a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in Norway |
| title_sort | health literacy in medication communication during hospital discharge a qualitative study at an internal medicines ward in norway |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e058473.full |
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