RNOtherRevista brasileira de enfermagem2026

Nursing diagnosis "Inadequate health literacy" in older adults: content validity.

Rachel da Silva Serejo Cardoso, Rosimere Ferreira Santana, Camila Takáo Lopes and 3 others

PMID 41983882

WHAT IT FOUND

Nurses can now use a validated checklist to spot inadequate health literacy in older adults.

The tool focuses on signs like hesitancy to ask questions, difficulty navigating systems, and dependence on others' opinions, helping staff identify patients who need clearer communication.

Key findings

01Experts validated specific related factors for older adults, including inadequate social support, inadequate self-efficacy, and hesitancy to ask questions.

02Validated defining characteristics include difficulty with personal health care decision-making, difficulty navigating complex health care systems, and inadequate willingness to participate in social interaction.

03The diagnosis was accepted by NANDA-I for the 2024-2026 taxonomy after expert content validity assessment.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs

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What it does not show

The study only included Brazilian nurses, so the applicability to other sociocultural contexts is uncertain. This was a content validity study, not a clinical utility study; it confirms the concepts are relevant but does not prove the diagnosis accurately identifies patients in practice.

Declared interests

The research did not receive specific funding from public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

The easy way to misread this

Do not assume this diagnosis is clinically proven to improve patient outcomes. This study validated the content of the diagnosis with experts, but it did not test the diagnosis's accuracy or effectiveness in real-world clinical care.

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