Health literacy in the context of HIV treatment: Introducing the brief estimate of health knowledge and action (BEHKA)-HIV version

Chandra Y. Osborn, Terry C. Davis, Stacy Cooper Bailey, Michael S. Wolf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)181-188
Number of pages8
JournalAIDS and behavior
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2010

Keywords

  • Adherence
  • BEHKA
  • HIV
  • Health literacy
  • Knowledge

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Infectious Diseases

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