Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Diana Naser

Abstract

Recent research showed a relationship between low health literacy in adult oncology patients, poor communication with providers, misconceptions about disease and treatment options, and the inability to adhere to treatment plans. Comparative literature addressing adolescent health literacy contained insufficient evidence of these relationships. The purpose of this exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study, based on the health literacy skills framework, was to assess the health literacy of adolescents treated in the oncology department at an academic children’s hospital in Missouri to determine whether there was a significant relationship between individual health literacy scores of this population based on age, sex, number of months since cancer diagnosis, or highest parent education level. Data were collected from 68 adolescents treated in the oncology department at an academic children’s hospital using the Rapid Estimate of Adolescent Literacy in Medicine-Teen (REALM-Teen) assessment. Data were analyzed using simple and multiple linear regression as well as logistic regression. The scores for females were 4.4 points higher than their male counterparts, and for every 1-year increase in age, the REALM-Teen score increased by 2.7 points. Additionally, for every parent education level achievement increase, the REALM-Teen Score level location moved toward Exceeds Health Literacy Level by approximately 0.7 points. This study may raise awareness of levels of health literacy of the adolescent oncologic population. In addition, the findings of this study may identify areas for future research, including health literacy interventions to enhance health literacy levels in the adolescent oncologic population.

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