Increasing Health Literacy of Parents of Children 0 to 5 Regarding Oral Health and Immunizations

Abstract

Health literacy is the ability of an individual to find, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services. Limited health literacy is linked with lower health outcomes, increased hospitalization rates, decreased use of preventative services, poor health management, and higher costs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2021), only 12 percent of adults in the United States, who make health decisions for themselves and their families, including children, have proficient health literacy. These statistics suggest that most of the population may have trouble understanding medical instructions, filling out complex health forms, managing chronic medical conditions, or making educated health decisions for themselves and family members. Vaccines and oral health are fundamental aspects of healthy development in children and can significantly improve children's well-being. Reducing the rate of infectious diseases and improving oral health is cost-effective, promotes health, and reduces morbidity and mortality in children. The DNP project was developed to improve health literacy about immunizations and oral care among parents of children ages zero (birth) to five years old by implementing QR codes printed on books provided to families by the Reach Out and Read organization from November 2020 through April 2021. Parents could scan the code and obtain information about immunizations and oral care appropriate for their children's age. The project confirms that QR codes can be a simple tool used to help increase parental literacy.