Comm Skills

MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMUNICATION SKILLS ASSIGNMENT
Name: MUGANZI JONATHAN

Reg No: 2021/MBR/023
Qn. 1 What is low health literacy?

Low health literacy refers to the limited ability of individuals to obtain,
process, and understand basic health information and services necessary to make
informed decisions about their health. It means that people may have difficulty
understanding medical instructions, navigating the healthcare system, interpreting
health-related documents, and effectively communicating with healthcare
providers. Low health literacy can lead to misunderstandings, poor health
outcomes, and increased healthcare costs. It is a significant barrier to accessing
quality healthcare and making informed health decisions.
Qn. 2 In comparison to the information in the article, is it true to say that in Uganda the
majority of the population has high health literacy? (True/False)
False. This could be because the basic literacy levels are low and the health
care providers mightn’t be well coached in communications skills.
Qn 3. Patients with low health literacy have more difficult time understanding physician
instructions and ask fewer questions. (True or False?)
True.
Qn 4. What are the recommended specific ways to enhance health provider
communication with low health literate patients according to the study?
- Employing teach back techniques.
- Assessing baseline understanding
- Assessing understanding of new information
- Emphasis and repeating of key points
- Limiting topics to three or fewer
- Soliciting questions for understanding
- Soliciting questions in an open ended way
- Giving written education materials
- Drawing visual aids
- Writing down instructions
- Involving a care giver
-Asking about years of education
- Ask about reading abilities.
Qn 5. Indicate the jargon used for the following lay terms.
a)High blood pressure: Hypertension
b)Chest pain: Angina
Qn 6. What do you learn about communication skills and it’s importance among health
providers from this article?
From this article, we learn several key points about communication skills and their
importance among healthcare providers:
Patient understanding; Effective communication allows health providers to
clearly explain medical information diagnoses treatment options, and instructions
to patients. It helps ensure that patients fully comprehend their condition,
participate in shared decision making and actively engage in their own care. This
understanding promotes better health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Low health literacy negatively affects care: The article highlights that
individuals with limited health literacy face challenges in understanding physician
instructions and managing their health effectively. Effective communication is
crucial in providing quality care to patients with low health literacy.
Recommended communication techniques: Health literacy experts
recommend specific communication techniques for healthcare providers to
enhance communication with low health literate patients. These techniques include
avoiding medical jargon, using plain language, limiting information overload, and
employing the teach-back method to ensure patient understanding.
Gap between self-reported and actual communication behaviors: The
study reveals a disconnect between the self-reported communication behaviors of
medical residents and their actual observed behaviors in standardized patient
encounters. Residents reported using recommended techniques frequently but
demonstrated infrequent use during interactions. This suggests a need for further
training and support in effectively communicating with patients with low health
literacy.
Overestimation of communication clarity: The study highlights that
medical residents tend to overestimate the clarity of their communication. This
indicates a potential lack of awareness about the actual effectiveness of their
communication strategies, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and
ongoing assessment of communication skills.
Overall, the article emphasizes the significance of effective communication skills
among healthcare providers, particularly in caring for patients with low health
literacy. It highlights the need for healthcare providers to utilize recommended
communication techniques, be mindful of potential gaps between self-perception
and actual communication behaviors, and continually strive to improve their
communication skills to ensure better patient outcomes.

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MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COMMUNICATION SKILLS ASSIGNMENT

Name: MUGANZI JONATHAN

Qn. 1 What is low health literacy?

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