The Development of Building Wellness™, a Youth Health Literacy Program

TLDR

Health literacy research has focused on adults, leaving a gap in youth health literacy, especially among low‑income, minority populations who have low health literacy and higher illness risk. The project aims to develop and pilot a curriculum for low‑income youth to become active, educated participants in their healthcare and to lay groundwork for future assessment tools. The curriculum, developed through qualitative and quantitative assessment of the target population, includes lessons on asthma, obesity, accidental injury, and drug and alcohol use. Pilot results indicate increased knowledge, improved healthy behaviors, and enthusiasm among participants and facilitators, supporting the curriculum’s effectiveness.

Abstract

Health literacy research has concentrated on adults; there has been inadequate research on youth health literacy and the effect it may have on health outcomes. Low-income, minority populations have low levels of health literacy and are at higher risk of illness and disease. Building Wellness™ is a youth health literacy curriculum targeting low-income youth from 3rd grade to 8th grade in order to prepare the youth to be active, educated participants in their healthcare. Lessons focus on asthma, obesity and overweight, accidental injury, and drug and alcohol use. Curriculum development was based on qualitative and quantitative assessment of the target population. The preliminary findings from the pilot project show an increase in knowledge, improved healthy behaviors, and enthusiasm from participants and facilitators. The development of the pilot project is described, with a suggestion for future development of youth health literacy assessment tools.