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Health Literacy in the Context of HIV Treatment: Introducing the Brief Estimate of Health Knowledge and Action (BEHKA)—HIV Version

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Abstract

A brief, 8-item assessment of HIV treatment knowledge and action was developed and evaluated. Patients with HIV were interviewed in 2001 at infectious disease clinics in Shreveport, LA and Chicago, IL. Analyses on demographics, self-reported medication adherence, and responses to the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and new, Brief Estimate of Health Knowledge and Action—HIV version (BEHKA-HIV) were performed in 2007. The BEHKA-HIV demonstrated high internal consistency, and construct validity. Lower scores on the BEHKA-HIV were independently associated with poorer rates of HIV medication adherence, scores 4–5 out of 8, AOR 2.6 (95% CI 1.9–3.6), and scores 0–3, AOR 11.4 (95% CI 8.2–15.9), as were the lowest scores on the REALM, AOR 3.3 (95% CI 1.3–8.7). The BEHKA-HIV is a psychometrically sound tool for assessing health knowledge and action regarding HIV treatment, and predicting non-adherence to HIV medications.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Osborn conducted this research as a National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, under an institutional award from the Agency for Health care Research and Quality (T32 HS000078-09). Dr. Wolf supported this research with a Career Development Award through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (K01 EH000067-01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, Center for Health Services Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1215 Twenty-First Avenue South, Suite 6000 Medical Center East North Tower, Nashville, TN, 37232-8300, USA

    Chandra Y. Osborn

  2. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA

    Terry C. Davis

  3. Health Literacy and Learning Program, Institute for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Stacy Cooper Bailey & Michael S. Wolf

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  1. Chandra Y. Osborn
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  2. Terry C. Davis
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  3. Stacy Cooper Bailey
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  4. Michael S. Wolf
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Correspondence to Chandra Y. Osborn.

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Osborn, C.Y., Davis, T.C., Bailey, S.C. et al. Health Literacy in the Context of HIV Treatment: Introducing the Brief Estimate of Health Knowledge and Action (BEHKA)—HIV Version. AIDS Behav 14, 181–188 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9484-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9484-z

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