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01-01-2011 | Original Research

Literacy Skills and Calculated 10-Year Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Authors: Laurie T. Martin, ScD MPH, Matthias Schonlau, PhD, Ann Haas, MS, Kathryn Pitkin Derose, PhD, MPH, Rima Rudd, ScD, Eric B. Loucks, PhD, Lindsay Rosenfeld, ScD ScM, Stephen L. Buka, ScD

Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

Background

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Reducing the disease burden requires an understanding of factors associated with the prevention and management of CHD. Literacy skills may be one such factor.

Objectives

To examine the independent and interactive effects of four literacy skills: reading, numeracy, oral language (speaking) and aural language (listening) on calculated 10-year risk of CHD and to determine whether the relationships between literacy skills and CHD risk were similar for men and women.

Design

We used multivariable linear regression to assess the individual, combined, and interactive effects of the four literacy skills on risk of CHD, adjusting for education and race.

Participants

Four hundred and nine English-speaking adults in Boston, MA and Providence, RI.

Measures

Ten-year risk of coronary heart disease was calculated using the Framingham algorithm. Reading, oral language and aural language were measured using the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement. Numeracy was assessed through a modified version of the numeracy scale by Lipkus and colleagues.

Key Results

When examined individually, reading (p = 0.007), numeracy (p = 0.001) and aural language (p = 0.004) skills were significantly associated with CHD risk among women; no literacy skills were associated with CHD risk in men. When examined together, there was some evidence for an interaction between numeracy and aural language among women suggesting that higher skills in one area (e.g., aural language) may compensate for difficulties in another resulting in an equally low risk of CHD.

Conclusions

Results of this study not only provide important insight into the independent and interactive effects of literacy skills on risk of CHD, they also highlight the need for the development of easy-to use assessments of the oral exchange in the health care setting and the need to better understand which literacy skills are most important for a given health outcome.

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Title: Literacy Skills and Calculated 10-Year Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Laurie T. Martin, ScD MPH
Matthias Schonlau, PhD
Ann Haas, MS
Kathryn Pitkin Derose, PhD, MPH
Rima Rudd, ScD
Eric B. Loucks, PhD
Lindsay Rosenfeld, ScD ScM
Stephen L. Buka, ScD
Publication date: 01-01-2011
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 0884-8734
Electronic ISSN: 1525-1497
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-010-1488-5

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Abstract

Background

Objectives

Design

Participants

Measures

Key Results

Conclusions

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