Over the past decade, the field of health literacy has advanced from providing limited tools for simplifying language into the basis for a viable theory of the complex relationship between knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and health outcomes, ranging from the individual to the societal level. While roughly a decade passed between what seem to be…

The demographic and socioeconomic impacts of the baby boomer generation turning 65 in 2011 will be magnified in rural areas where elderly are already disproportionately represented. The overall goal of a collaborative, community-based project was to improve the health literacy, health outcomes, and overall well-being of rural elderly in four…

In response to the emerging global diabetes epidemic, health educators are searching for new and better education tools to help people make positive behavior changes to successfully prevent or manage diabetes. Conversation Maps[R] are new learner-driven education tools that have been developed to empower individuals to improve their health…

Health literacy, the ability to obtain and understand information and services to make good health decisions, has received much attention recently. Literacy is a stronger predictor of health status than age, income, race, ethnicity, employment status, or educational level. Inadequate health literacy costs the United States an estimated $100-$236…

Background: This paper discusses the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention's effort to develop a web-based service called Project CREATE that responds to a need for targeted health promotion materials expressed by directors of HIV/STD prevention services in predominately rural states. Purpose: Project CREATE allows users to select customized…

This paper examines the extent of patients' health-related learning from a range of sources and aims to identify psycho-cognitive variables that predict learning. Using a survey design, we found that people higher in perceived health competence were lower in anxiety and took a more logical approach to decision making. Low perceived health…

The effectiveness of online messages to change dietary intake and level of physical activity was assessed. Thirty-six volunteers completed a 26-item pre- and post-intervention online survey and received a total of 36 email messages about MyPyramid, food labels, healthier lifestyles, and physical activity. Participants reported increased fiber…

"Focus on Basics" is a publication of the U.S. Division of World Education, Inc. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to connecting research…

With the highest national HIV prevalence in the world, the issue of HIV/AIDS is one of the most pressing socio-political matters in South Africa. It directly affects between five and six million people. A conservative estimate suggests that 600 people die every day of illnesses related to HIV/AIDS and the number of AIDS orphans in South Africa is…