Health Literacy & Patient Counseling Flashcards
7 cards from real MTM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Health Literacy & Patient Counseling flashcards as text
During an MTM encounter, a patient reports taking their metformin 'when I remember.' What is the pharmacist's BEST initial step?
Answer: Explore the reasons behind inconsistent adherence without judgment
Identifying the root cause of non-adherence through motivational interviewing is essential before recommending any solution.
Motivational interviewing (MI) in pharmacy practice is BEST characterized by which principle?
Answer: Eliciting the patient's own motivation to change by exploring their values and goals
MI is a collaborative, person-centered approach that draws out patients' intrinsic motivation rather than imposing external pressure to change.
A patient who reads at a 4th-grade level is given a Medication Action Plan. To best support comprehension, the document should include:
Answer: Simple sentences, large font, pictures, and white space
Plain language, visual supports, and uncluttered formatting are evidence-based design elements that improve comprehension for patients with low literacy.
Which of the following BEST describes the 'transtheoretical model' (stages of change) as applied to medication adherence?
Answer: A model describing patient readiness to change behavior across five sequential stages
The transtheoretical model identifies stages (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance) that reflect a patient's readiness to adopt healthy behaviors.
A patient declines to take a newly prescribed statin because they heard 'statins destroy your liver.' The pharmacist should FIRST:
Answer: Acknowledge the patient's concern and ask where they heard that information
Acknowledging concerns and exploring their source builds trust and is the foundation of effective motivational dialogue before providing corrective information.
Which patient population has the HIGHEST risk for low health literacy according to US public health data?
Answer: Elderly adults, those with lower education levels, and non-English speakers
Low health literacy disproportionately affects older adults, individuals with less formal education, and those whose primary language is not English.
A pharmacist adapts their counseling style from directive to collaborative mid-session after sensing patient resistance. This reflects which counseling competency?
Answer: Rolling with resistance using MI principles
In motivational interviewing, 'rolling with resistance' means shifting approach rather than confronting or arguing when a patient pushes back.