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Reading Instructions for Using Commercial Medicines

Author

Listed:
  • THOMAS OWEN EISEMON
  • JEANNE RATZLAFF
  • VIMLA L. PATEL

Abstract

Reading product labels is a common and important use of literacy and numeracy skills in daily life. Instructions for commercial oral-rehydration-therapy salt solutions were examined. The products are widely available in rural Kenya, where they are purchased for alleviating the symptoms of life-threatening diarrheal dehydration. Many features of these texts do not facilitate comprehension. Information about preparation, dosage, administration, storage, and precautions is difficult to locate, few discourse conventions are used to enable readers to efficiently process information, and much tacit knowledge is presumed—including knowledge of English even when a Kiswahili translation is provided. Numeracy tasks associated with compliance with the treatment regime cannot be easily performed with school-learned mathematical algorithms. Measuring and teaching functional literacy and numeracy skills necessitates a better understanding of the kinds of texts that readers will encounter and analyzing the comprehension and problem-solving skills they require.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Owen Eisemon & Jeanne Ratzlaff & Vimla L. Patel, 1992. "Reading Instructions for Using Commercial Medicines," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 520(1), pages 76-90, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:520:y:1992:i:1:p:76-90
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716292520001010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eisemon, Thomas O. & Patel, Vimla L. & Sena, Sarone Ole, 1987. "Uses of formal and informal knowledge in the comprehension of instructions for oral rehydration therapy in Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 25(11), pages 1225-1234, January.
    2. Patel, Vimla L. & Eisemon, Thomas O. & Arocha, JoséF., 1988. "Causal reasoning and the treatment of diarrhoeal disease by mothers in Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 27(11), pages 1277-1286, January.
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