CAM Health Literacy and Older Rural Adults
Background: In a series of projects conducted with older rural dwellers, this team of investigators demonstrated that older rural adults, particularly those with chronic health conditions, used as much or more CAM as urban adults. Further, CAM was often self-prescribed and that individuals learned about these CAM practices or products through word of mouth from friends and relatives, consumer marketing, or reading popular literature. Some used CAM in an inconsistent manner and did not have a clear understanding of what the CAM was intended to do, thus underscoring the need for an education project.
Methods: Two education modules: a) health literacy and CAM, and b) electronic health information seeking will be presented to a group of older adults at a Senior Center in one Montana rural community. One module will be presented face to face and the second by webinar. Participants will complete a pre-program instrument packet containing demographic questions and the MSU CAM Health Literacy scale and a post-program packet containing the MSU CAM Health Literacy Scale and questions to evaluate the content and delivery methods. Feedback will also be obtained from the Senior Center Director and local Librarian.
Results: The outcome of the education program will be reported including any changes in CAM Health Literacy and satisfaction with and acceptability of the content and delivery methods. Of particular interest is the acceptability of using a webinar format for presentation of one of the modules.
Implications: There is an urgent need to promote health literacy about CAM among older rural adults. The independent nature of rural dwellers, scarcity of health care resources in rural areas, prevalence of chronic health conditions among older rural adults, a general lack of knowledge about CAM, and concern with the quality of available information about CAM make it critical that older rural consumers have sufficient health literacy about CAM. Adequate CAM health literacy is essential to understand associated risks and benefits so that informed health care choices can be made.