Health Literacy Core
Connie Arnold, PhD
Director
LSU Health Shreveport
(318) 675-4324
Contact this core
Email: literacy@lacats.org
About This Core
The vision of the Health Literacy (HL) Core is to integrate Health Literacy and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) principles into clinical research, aiming to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities among Louisiana's vulnerable populations. The Health Literacy Core supports investigators, coordinators, and providers in delivering clear, patient-centered information to patients and the public. This core is led out of LSU Health Shreveport.
Dr. Arnold offers practical training, user-friendly methodologies, and ongoing, friendly consultations to enhance both oral and written health communication skills. The goal is to equip LA CaTS researchers and providers with the knowledge and skills necessary to present information that is easily accessible, understandable, and actionable, enabling informed health decisions.
Core Activities & Resources
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Tailored Outreach Training: Develop training modules focused on building authentic relationships with historically excluded populations. Incorporate role-playing scenarios to practice trust-building conversations.
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Needs Assessment Surveys: Conduct surveys or focus groups within communities to identify specific needs, barriers, and facilitators. Use this data to inform training and outreach efforts.
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Comprehensive Training on Health Literacy and SDOH: Offer targeted training sessions that cover health literacy principles, social determinants of health (SDOH), and cultural competency. Use case studies to illustrate successful navigation of barriers.
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Resource Development: Create and distribute resources that highlight best practices for addressing health literacy and SDOH in patient interactions, including guides on how to assess patient understanding and promote effective communication.
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Integration of Digital Health Technologies: Provide training on the use of digital health tools, emphasizing how they can improve chronic disease management, medication adherence, and preventive care. Include practical demonstrations and patient testimonials to enhance relatability.
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Virtual and Hands-On Workshops: Organize interactive workshops focused on developing accessible health information, recruitment materials, and consent documents. Ensure these materials are co-created with community input to enhance usability.
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Best Practices for Communication: Emphasize the use of plain language, culturally relevant visuals, and easy-to-read formats in all patient-facing materials. Train researchers in techniques such as "teach back" to confirm understanding and motivational interviewing to encourage engagement.
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Pilot Testing: Encourage pilot testing of recruitment messages and consent documents with community members before widespread implementation. Gather feedback to refine these materials based on real-world responses.
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Networking Opportunities: Create forums for investigators, clinicians, and coordinators to share experiences, challenges, and solutions in engaging with historically excluded populations, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
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- Shreveport CAB is comprised of community leaders from various public health backgrounds to guide training content and outreach strategies to ensure the relevance and authenticity of approaches used.
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Shreveport CAB members provide insightful and community relevant feedback that propel health research to truly impact the Louisiana community in North Louisiana in particular.
Specific Aims
- Enhance and expand trust-building relationships with historically excluded populations
to understand their specific needs, barriers, and strategies to reduce health disparities.
- Collaborate with investigators at LA CaTS institutions to improve vulnerable patients’
understanding and use of new health technologies that improve management of chronic
diseases, medication adherence, preventive care, and recruitment in clinical trials,
particularly in rural areas.
- Network within LA CaTS, with CTRs and CTSAs in our region and nationally, and with health agencies within the state, to provide equitable recruitment to clinical trials for historically excluded populations (e.g., rural, and inner-city communities, diverse race/ethnicity, LGBTQ, formerly incarcerated individuals) to address health disparities and social determinants of health and to improve health outcomes.