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In the United States, 54% of Americans read below the sixth-grade level. Out of that 54% nearly one in five adults reads below a third-grade level. Lower literacy rates lead to higher unemployment rates and reduced income. (The Policy Circle, 2023).

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"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." - Frederick Douglass (abolitionist and statesman)

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Why are low literacy adults vulnerable or underserved? 

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Why are low literacy adults vulnerable or underserved? 

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Low-literacy individuals are a vulnerable population because they can end up in very dangerous situations by simply not understanding the information that is being provided to them. Some examples of this would include accessing health information, proper medication use, and utilizing preventative services. These individuals face many difficulties as reading is a huge form of communication. It can affect how these individuals communicate with their healthcare providers and how they may obtain health information. Without being able to do these things successfully it can impact their health in a negative way.

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"According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about four out of five U.S. adults (79%) have medium to high English literacy skills. These literacy levels are sufficient to compare and contrast information, paraphrase, and make low-level inferences. This means that about one in five U.S. adults (21%) have low literacy skills, translating to about 43.0 million adults" (Word Population Review).

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Nurses can help improve health literacy skills in their patients by making the health information provided very easy to understand. It's important for the nurse to recognize that there is a literacy barrier and then come up with an intervention that is specific to the patient. This may include providing pictures, demonstrations, and understanding what level of literacy the patient is at. This is why it's important to identify the gaps in knowledge and understanding prior to discharge so that the patient has the absolute best plan possible.

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2 Resources for Low-literacy Individuals in North Carolina

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2 Resources for Low-literacy Individuals in North Carolina

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1.) State Library of North Carolina Accessible Books - This is a public library in Raleigh that circulates books and magazines for people with visual, physical, or reading disabilities.

2.) Some YMCA's offer free one-on-one reading and tutoring programs for adults.

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Some areas of need for this population is simply understanding what level of literacy the person is at. Assessment is key when determining interventions for specific individuals.

Some resources would be finding classes and support groups for those with low literacy. This would be beneficial in helping the individual grow with their literacy and be able to understand more things that are handed to them.

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Failing grade: Literacy in America. The Policy Circle. (2023, February 3). https://www.thepolicycircle.org/brief/literacy/

Language and literacy. Language and Literacy - Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/language-and-literacy

World Populations View. U.S. literacy rates by state 2024. (n.d.). https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/us-literacy-rates-by-state#google_vignette