Associations between health literacy, HIV-related knowledge, and information behavior among persons living with HIV in the Dominican Republic.
Samantha Stonbraker, Arlene Smaldone, Heidi Luft and 4 others
PMID 29285785WHAT IT FOUND
Most people living with HIV at a Dominican clinic had low health literacy.
Many misunderstood viral load and transmission. They relied on the clinic, often sought information after symptoms, and reported adherence and family support.
Key findings
01Most participants had low health literacy: 74 of 107 were low, including 32 who could not complete the assessment and 19 who said they could not read.
02Participants with low health literacy more often thought HIV could be transmitted by mosquitoes (39.2%) or by witchcraft or supernatural means (39.2%), and only 16.2% knew that a low viral load is desirable.
03The clinic was the first information source for over 65% of participants, but only 50% of those with low health literacy identified a second source, compared with 81.8% of those with adequate health literacy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
All participants were recruited at one clinic where HIV information was routinely provided, so the study may not show what happens in settings without that support. Responses were self-reported, and positive behaviors such as adherence may have been overreported while negative experiences may have been underreported. The study included only Spanish-speaking patients, leaving out about 6% of the clinic population who predominantly speak Haitian Creole. It did not separately examine groups such as men who have sex with men or female sex workers, whose information needs may differ. Participants who said they could not read or who could not complete early health literacy items were counted as having low health literacy, so the assessment did not measure their literacy directly.
Declared interests
The article text does not provide an author conflict-of-interest statement. The supplied publication types list Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that low health literacy alone explains poor HIV knowledge or that the suggested education methods were tested. This was a cross-sectional study at one clinic, and even participants with adequate health literacy misunderstood viral load.