Group items tagged

Many older adults in Medicare managed care programs have low health literacy, and this may affect use of preventive services. Objectives. To determine whether older adults with inadequate health literacy were less likely to report receiving influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, mammograms, and Papanicolaou smears than individuals with adequate health literacy after adjusting for other covariates. Research Design. Cross-sectional survey; home interviews with community dwelling enrollees. Subjects. Medicare managed care enrollees 65 to 79 years old in four US cities (n = 2722). Measures. Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults and self-reported preventive service use. Results. In bivariate analyses, self-reported lack of preventive services was higher among individuals with inadequate health literacy than those with adequate health literacy: never had an influenza vaccination: 29% versus 19% (P = 0.000); never had a pneumococcal vaccination: 65% versus 54% (P = 0.000); no mammogram in the last 2 years: 24% versus 17% (P = 0.017); never had a Papanicolaou smear: 10% versus 5% (P = 0.002). After adjusting for demographics, years of school completed, income, number of physician visits, and health status, people with inadequate health literacy were more likely to report they had never received the influenza (OR, 1.4% 95% CI, 1.1-1.9) or pneumococcal vaccination (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7), and women were less likely to have received a mammogram (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.2) or Papanicolaou smear (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-3.1). Conclusions. Among Medicare managed care enrollees, inadequate health literacy is independently associated with lower use of preventive health services. (Abstract taken from JSTOR.)

We sought to determine whether literacy mediates the relationship between education and glycemic control among diabetes patients. Methods: We measured educational attainment, literacy using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (s-TOFHLA), and glycemic control (HbA1c) in 395 diabetes patients at a U.S. public hospital. We performed path analysis to compare two competing models to explain glycemic control. The direct effects model estimated how education was related to HbA1c; the mediational model estimated the strength of the direct relationship when the additional pathway from education to literacy to HbA1c was added. Results: Both the model with a direct effect of education on HbA1c and the model with literacy as a mediator were supported by good fit to observed data. The mediational model, however, was a significant improvement, with the additional path from literacy to HbA1c reducing the discrepancy from observed data (p<0.01). After including this path, the direct relationship between education and HbA1c fell to a non-significant threshold. Conclusions: In a low-income population with diabetes, literacy mediated the relationship between education and glycemic control. This finding has important implications for both education and health policy. (Abstract taken from JSTOR.)

In this prospective study home literacy is considered a multifaceted phenomenon consisting of a frequency or exposure facet (opportunity), an instruction quality facet, a parent-child cooperation facet, and a social-emotional quality facet. In a multiethnic, partly bilingual sample of 89 families with 4-year-old children, living in inner-city areas in the Netherlands, measures of home literacy were taken by means of interviews with the parents and observations of parent-child book reading interactions when the target children were ages 4, 5, and 6 years. At age 7, by the end of Grade 1, after nearly 1 year of formal reading instruction, vocabulary, word decoding, and reading comprehension were assessed using standard tests. Vocabulary at age 4 and an index of the predominant language used at home were also measured in order to be used as covariates. Correlational and multiple regression analyses supported the hypothesis that home literacy is multifaceted. Home literacy facets together predicted more variance in language and achievement measures at age 7 than each of them separately. Structural equations analysis also supported two additional hypotheses of the present research. First, the effects of background factors (SES, ethnicity, parents' own literacy practices) on language development and reading achievement in school were fully mediated by home literacy, home language, and early vocabulary. Second, even after controlling for the effects of early vocabulary and predominant home language, there remained statistically significant effects of home literacy, in particular, opportunity, instruction quality, and cooperation quality. (Abstract taken from JSTOR.)

Literacy is a continuous, multidimensional indicator of proficiency in using written language. This essay reviews several recent books on literacy, and suggests some profound theoretical issues about consumer behavior inspired by a sociocultural perspective on literacy. In particular, ties between literacy and six diverse research programs on consumer behavior are highlighted: responses to persuasion; affect and decision making; the meanings of products and brands; social marketing of health behaviors; consumption, identity, and resistance; and the impact of the internet on consumer behavior. In addition, questions both interesting and troubling about the impact of consumption on literacy are raised in the hope of encouraging future research. (Abstract taken from JSTOR.)

Green, Amy. "Push for financial literacy spreads to schools." Christian Science Monitor 101.70 (09 Mar. 2009): 13-13. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Roesch Lib., U. of Dayton, Dayton, OH. 14 Mar. 2009. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=36874111&site=ehost-live>.

Green shares the story of Roy Kobert and John Ninfo a bankruptcy attorney and bankruptcy judge who both volunteer their time teaching kids the importance of financial literacy. With the economy plummeting out of control both men have decided to be advocates for teaching financial literacy to children and young adults. Both men have seen the devastating effect that financial literacy ignorance has caused on the economy and individuals. They fear that if creditors can lure the youth into debt, our countries youth future is in jeopardy. Their goal is to stop the madness before it starts through education intervention. The article also talks about several different programs promoting financial literacy that have been implemented in different states across the country.

Colletti,Carolyn. "Girls & Money: A Coordinated Approach to Financial Literacy." Independent School 63.1 (Fall2003 2003): 64-65. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Roesch Lib., U. of Dayton, Dayton, OH.14 Mar. 2009. .

Colletti discusses the coordinated approach to financial literacy for girls that was started by the National Coalition of Girls' Schools in the U.S. The article stresses the importance for woman and girls to have sound financial literacy for success. Children have an understanding of finance and fairness even at a very young age. Therefore, young children are capable of learning about financial literacy at a very early age. The article also shares results of a financial skills study of teenage girls. Financial literacy education is a tool to help bridge the gap that woman have experienced throughout the ages.

In this article the authors discuss the reason for lack of financial literacy among young people in today's society. Their main argument for the lack of financial literacy is a student's not having motivation. Research shows that this is true for students even after taking part in a financial literacy curriculum. The authors were able to find data to back up the point that lack of motivation leads to lack of financial literacy.

This article reports on a small-scale study which examined the home literacy practices of a group of 3 and 4 year-old children in a working-class community in the north of England and explored how far these practices were reflected in the curriculum of the nursery the children attended. The data illustrate that there was a dissonance between out-of-school and schooled literacy practices and that there was more evidence of nursery literacy practices infiltrating the home than vice versa. Children's literacy practices in the home were focused on media and popular cultural texts and the article argues for greater recognition of these contemporary cultural practices in early years policy documentation and curriculum guidance. (Abstract taken from JSTOR.)

The authors report on the results of a telephone survey of 1,001 employees of seven large corporations conducted for the Business Roundtable as part of its public policy program. A set of 20 questions keyed to the Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics was embedded in the survey. A measure of economic literacy was constructed from the survey results. Greater economic literacy was associated with more overall education, more college economics coursework, high incomes, and being male. An examination of individual test questions revealed that previous college economics had substantial effects on employees' current economic literacy. (Abstract from JSTOR.) This journal, The Journal of Economic Education, may be worth checking out for those studying financial literacy.

This article talks about how the social studies classroom is spending much of its time teaching literacy. While it is important for the extra literacy teaching, the article talks about how parents are worried about a lack in social studies education because of this. The cause for the extra literacy teachings in the social studies classroom is to prepare the students for the state mandated testing that places much more importance on literacy than on civics. This is a good source if you are researchign the effects of the no child left behind act

Health literacy is basic reading and numerical skills that allow a person to function in the health care environment. Even though most adults read at an eighth-grade level, and 20 percent of the population reads at or below a fifth-grade level, most health care materials are written at a 10th-grade level. Older patients are particularly affected because their reading and comprehension abilities are influenced by their cognition and their vision and hearing status. Inadequate health literacy can result in difficulty accessing health care, following instructions from a physician, and taking medication properly. Patients with inadequate health literacy are more likely to be hospitalized than patients with adequate skills. Patients understand medical information better when spoken to slowly, simple words are used, and a restricted amount of information is presented. For optimal comprehension and compliance, patient education material should be written at a sixth-grade or lower reading level, preferably including pictures and illustrations. All patients prefer reading medical information written in clear and concise language. Physicians should be alert to this problem because most patients are unwilling to admit that they have literacy problems. (Am Fam Physician 2005;72:463-8. Copyright© 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians.)

The National Institute for Literacy serves as a national resource for adult education and literacy programs, coordinates literacy services and policy, and provides leadership for literacy in the United States. The Institute disseminates information on scientifically based reading research pertaining to children, youth, and adults as well as information about development and implementation of classroom reading programs based on the research. A great resource for articles and statistics.

Current emphasis in curricular design for FLES programs dedicates little time to the development of second language literacy in foreign language learners in the elementary school. A focus on developing these literacy skills is essential, if communicative competence is to be the goal in a fully articulated K-12 curriculum for Spanish. The vehicle necessary for developing these skills lies in curricular objectives that emphasize literacy and in teacher development programs that foster the growth of this instructional skill in FLES teachers. In light of a theoretical discussion of the need for group reading instruction, an instructional unit serves as a model for developing the first and second language literacy of early elementary language learners. (Abstract taken from JSTOR.)

Dugas shares that in 2004 Citigroup donated $200 million, in a 10-year program to help encourage financial literacy. With financial literacy at an all time low, and financial products continuing to be increasingly difficult to understand, their efforts were very timely. Citibank shares in the belief that it is part of the financial industries responsibility to help educate people toward financial literacy. Financial illiteracy is growing and the need to slow it down is urgent. The article also talks about Citigroup's effort to partner with organizations such as Operation Hope, giving back to the community. The commitment is a long-term investment in the community, Citigroup further encouraged their employee's to volunteer in their communities, sharing their expertise in finance which will help encourage financial literacy.

Supiano gives us a look at financial literacy programs at universities across the United States. Attracting students to attend the program did not prove difficult, but the problem is, that many sign up, but don't follow through with attending. The program intention is to help students master the basics of budgeting, saving, and not spending beyond their means. College students especially need to understand the implication of irresponsible spending since tuition, fees and housing cost continue to rise. Supiano argues that financial literacy affects student retention, productivity, and mental health. The article also discusses where the responsibility should be for providing financial education. Financial-aid offices aren't equipped to offer an in-depth and broader education in financial literacy but they try. Home continues to be the best place to start the ground work for financial literacy.

Colletti discusses the coordinated approach to financial literacy for girls that was started by the National Coalition of Girls' Schools in the U.S. The article stresses the importance for woman and girls to have sound financial literacy for success. Children have an understanding of finance and fairness even at a very young age. Therefore, young children are capable of learning about financial literacy at a very early age. The article also shares results of a financial skills study of teenage girls. Financial literacy education is a tool to help bridge the gap that woman have experienced throughout the ages.

Green shares the story of Roy Kobert and John Ninfo a bankruptcy attorney and bankruptcy judge who both volunteer their time teaching kids the importance of financial literacy. With the economy plummeting out of control both men have decided to be advocates for teaching financial literacy to children and young adults. Both men have seen the devastating effect that financial literacy ignorance has caused on the economy and individuals. They fear that if creditors can lure the youth into debt, our countries youth future is in jeopardy. Their goal is to stop the madness before it starts through education intervention. The article also talks about several different programs promoting financial literacy that have been implemented in different states across the country.

Expansion of the internet and market innovation have lead to national economies and the deregulation of banking with a changing economy. In an ever changing economy like the United States individuals must constantly keep updated and improve their level of financial literacy, be aware of changes in personal finances and demography and obtain current knowledge of mortgage lending practices. Financial literacy programs such as first time homebuyer programs, basic financial literacy programs, and savings initiatives have been established through private and public funding to increase the financial literacy of the public. The effectiveness of some of these programs has not been concluded, however, individuals have stated that after completing the programs they felt much more confident in making investments.

In 2007, the Oklahoma Legistalure passed a law called "The Passport to Financial Literacy Act" that requires students, beginning in the 7th grade, to demonstarate "financial proficiency in 14 areas" to acheive a high school diploma. Other schools with the help of the National Endowment Fund for Financial Education have incorporated programs to increase the levels of financial literacy among students. Critics of this program state that these prgrams are not helping the overall financial literacy levels of high school students upon completion. It is not plausable to state that these financial programs are useless, because these programs need to work in correcpendence of parents teaching their children good financial habits within their own homes.

There are ways for students to gain financial literacy and this article is mentions plans for student programs to help do this. The article talks about how some finance classes don't help a students understanding of finances, and mentions to have financial literacy it might have to begin in a person's childhood.

One possibility for those interested in sports to consider is the concept of physical literacy, here called "movement literacy," the idea that just as our minds learn to function at higher levels and acquire new skills, our bodies must do the same. However, between phyical education budgets being cut and increasing importance placed on technology, our understanding of movement literacy is decreasing. This article focuses on students in Kenya, where the most original innovative learning takes place during unstructed playtime. Includes a PDF and several photographs.