Racial disparities in health literacy and numeracy

Today, I am looking at a study of health literacy – which refers to capacities for understanding, evaluating, using, and engaging with written text to participate in the society, to achieve one’s goals and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. Health numeracy is the ability to access, use, interpret, and communicate mathematical information and ideas, to engage in and manage mathematical demands of a range of situations in adult life. Stocks, et al. (2024) published “Racial Disparities in Health Literacy and Numeracy: The role of sociodemographic and psychological risk factors” in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice.  Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

As a practicing professional psychologist, you may have encountered the pressing need to understand and address racial disparities in health literacy and numeracy within your everyday clinical practice. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess these disparities and examine their association with sociodemographic and psychological risk factors in a mixed clinical outpatient sample. Data from 198 patients who completed the General Health Numeracy Test–Short Form, Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine–Revised, Adverse Childhood Experiences Checklist, Perceived Stress Scale, and Test of Premorbid Functioning were examined. Chi-square and analysis of variance tests compared participant characteristics by ethnoracial group status. Hierarchical regression models examined the incremental variance explained in health literacy and numeracy by ethnoracial group status, sociodemographic variables, and psychological risk factors. Analyses revealed significant racial disparities in health literacy and numeracy, with Black subjects scoring lower than White and Hispanic counterparts. Sociodemographic variables accounted for the effect of ethnoracial group status on health literacy and numeracy in White and Hispanic patient groups. Sociodemographic variables accounted for the effect of ethnoracial group status on only health numeracy in Black subjects. Psychological variables did not account for group differences in health literacy or numeracy. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions that address sociodemographic risk factors to reduce racial disparities in health literacy and numeracy. Addressing these factors may ultimately improve health outcomes for all individuals. 

This research exposes significant gaps in health literacy and numeracy among different racial groups, emphasizing the influence of sociodemographic factors. By pinpointing these disparities, the study underscores the importance of tailored interventions to address specific risk factors, ultimately working toward equitable health care for all. 

I thought that this was an important study especially as it relates to the interventions that may be most important when any client is lacking basic health literacy and numeracy skills. Although it’s not a huge sample, it is helpful to know that psychological variables did not account for these ethnoracial group differences.