Abstract
•Pediatric kidney transplant recipients require education about their transplant.•Need to promote functional health literacy in children with kidney transplants.•Administer simple questionnaire with a computer program.•Provide information and rationale for transplant and medications with simple videos.•Computer program improves functional health literacy.
The objective of this study was to facilitate functional health literacy (FHL) with a modified “Teach Back” method. A computer-based program was developed for adolescent and young adult kidney transplant recipients (KTR) to knowledgeably answer questions about their medical condition, medications, and create a simple synopsis of their personal health record with the help of the heath care provider (HCP).
In a pre-post quasi-experimental design, 16 patients received the computer intervention in which they navigated questionnaires and brief informational video clips. Knowledge scores were assessed at baseline and 3 months. The binomial sign test was used to evaluate change in knowledge and purpose of medications.
Mean age was 17.3 ± 2.4 years and 94% were non-Caucasian. Seven of 16 patients were academically below grade level. Twelve of 16 patients improved their overall knowledge (P = 0.0002) and purpose of medications (P = 0.0017).
A Modified “Teach Back” during clinic visits was associated with improvements in FHL.
This modified ‘teach back’ program has the potential to improve FHL which could contribute to long-term preservation of kidney transplants.
