Research Symposium

BIO

As a current undergraduate student at Florida State majoring in biology, I plan to go to graduate school to pursue a doctorate of physical therapy. Being a first generation Colombian-American working towards this career, I have always been passionate about learning how to apply and instill equity in healthcare.

Social Determinants of Patient Health Literacy

Abstract

This study explores the impact of social factors on health literacy, a key determinant of health outcomes. Health literacy influences a person’s ability to navigate healthcare systems and manage their health effectively. By examining how different aspects of a social setting affect health literacy, this research helps identify contributors to low health literacy and potential strategies to address it. Participants were referred by clinicians and were instructed to complete a questionnaire. Data used was from a subsection of a larger study. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were used to assess differences in responses between groups, which were then divided into four categories of perceived access to care. A p-value threshold of <0.05 was considered significant. The results showed that higher health literacy was associated with better patient-provider communication and the patient’s perceived importance of such communication. Marital status did not significantly affect health literacy. These findings suggest that elements of social environment, such as living situation and the quality of patient-provider interaction, play a crucial role in health literacy. The study underscores the importance of a supportive social network, whether through living status or healthcare communication, in improving health literacy. Further research is needed to explore how a lack of support systems contributes to poor health literacy and to develop targeted interventions to address this issue.

Keywords: Health literacy, social determinants, health equity