Development of Items to Assess Patients’ Health Literacy Experiences at Hospitals for the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospital Survey

• DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0b013e31826524a0
• Publication Date: 2012-08-15T08:53:19Z
• Authors: Beverly A. Weidmer; Cindy Brach; Mary E. Slaughter; Ron D. Hays
• Keywords: Health Literacy; Telephone interview; Acute care

Background: The complexity of health information frequently exceeds patients' skills to understand and use it. Improvement in hospital communication has the potential improve quality care. Objective: To develop a set items supplement Consumer Assessment Healthcare Providers Systems (CAHPS) Hospital Survey (HCAHPS) assess how well hospitals communicate inpatients. Methods: We conducted an environmental scan obtained input from stakeholders identify domains survey items, cognitively tested item English Spanish. administered random sample adult patients using mail telephone data collection. estimate item-scale correlations for hypothesized multi-item composites, internal consistency reliability among regressed global rating would you recommend on HCAHPS existing core new composites evaluate unique contribution each these "bottom-line" measures. Results: A total 1013 surveys were (55% response rate). With some exceptions, between scales consistent with clusters. Three identified: (1) about tests; (2) care self medicines; (3) forms. Conclusions: This study provides support measurement properties Item Set Addressing Health Literacy. It can serve as both measure whether healthcare providers setting have communicated effectively their tool improvement.