West Louisville Health Literacy

by: Ryan Combs

Funded by KentuckyOne Health, the West Louisville Health Literacy study examines the development, use, applicability, and design of health insurance, health systems, and health behavior literacy materials to residents of West Louisville. Working closely with the Louisville Metro Department of Health and Wellness (LMPHW), a team of SPHIS faculty and students is in the process of developing and piloting creative new health literacy interventions in the California, Russell, Parkland, and Shawnee neighborhoods of West Louisville. Related activities and interventions are undertaken as academic-community partnership projects designed to teach newly insured residents how to use the health care delivery system. This involves surveying and conducting focus groups with a sample of community members, developing health literacy resources based on their feedback, deploying the resource, and evaluating its impact. The goals of this initiative are to assist West Louisville residents with navigating the health care system and utilizing health coverage, as well as improving health literacy related to health behavior.

As researchers, we need to understand what information should be provided to the public in health literacy campaigns and what are the most appropriate mechanisms to deliver targeted information to communities. 

Health literacy refers to the extent to which “an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions.”1 Health literacy needs are evolving because of the changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ACA expanded healthcare coverage for Kentuckians through insurance exchanges (Kynect) and Medicaid expansion. Locally, West Louisville is an area of particular interest vis-à-vis health literacy because of the social and health disparities it faces.  Its health insurance coverage rate has historically lagged behind the rest of the Louisville Metro (West Louisville uninsured rate was 21.9% pre-ACA vs Louisville Metro at 12.7%).2,3 The composition of health coverage is also different; a much higher proportion of people in West Louisville had public coverage pre-ACA (49.7%) than Louisville metro as a whole (29.4%).2,3 The poverty rate in West Louisville is three times that of Louisville Metro (16.5%) and the overall unemployment rate is twice as high (23.3%).2,3 Following ACA implementation, many in West Louisville will be gaining access to different insurance options or will be able to get coverage for the first time.

Join us, How can we make health insurance easier for you? Do you live in Shawnee, California, Russell, or Parkland? We want to hear from you! Join us for a conversation about the recent changes to health insurance (Obamacre) and how people in West Louisville can get get better information about health insurance.The intent is to provide those who suffer social and health disparities with relevant information that will help them get the care they need. Armed with new resources and knowledge, this study can lead to improved health through identification of health issues at earlier stages and more effective management of acute and chronic health conditions through better access to services. A successful intervention of this nature could contribute to cost savings projected by the ACA, while ensuring a healthier community. In addition, the process may be replicated to other communities to provide targeted health literacy materials that are responsive to local needs. Besides LMPHW, and specifically its Health Literacy and Education Subcommittee, study partners include Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), the Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, Community Centers in Russell, Parkland, Shawnee, and California neighborhoods. For more information, please e-mail Dr. Ryan Combs at .

 References

  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010) Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 
  2. Kentucky State Data Center (KSDC) (2015). Comparing Demographics of West Louisville Neighborhoods with those of Louisville Metro. Unpublished Report Prepared for the Office of Public Health Practice and Community Outreach, compiled from American Community Survey 2010-2012 and U.S. Census estimates. 
  3. United States Census Bureau (2012). 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/acs/www/

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