* by guest contributor, the Pima County Health Department
The concept of literacy extends far beyond just being able to read. While general literacy – the skills of reading, writing, basic math, speech, and comprehension – are critical, other forms of literacy are emerging that are equally important to becoming a more self-sufficient society.
Health literacy is defined as “the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.”
Research shows that people of all ages, races, incomes, and education levels are affected by limited health literacy. This is often because most health information is unfamiliar, complicated, or overwhelming.
People who have high levels of health literacy are able to:
- Navigate a complex healthcare system
- Track and share personal health information with providers
- Manage chronic disease and provide self-care
- Understand mathematical concepts such as measurement, risk, and probability
Unfortunately, the latest data shows that nearly 9 out of 10 adults have trouble understanding most health information that is available. This is often complicated by the fact that there is so much conflicting information, leaving people unsure of which sources to trust.
One example of this is childhood vaccinations. In the last decade, the rates of vaccinations for children has gone down, with many attributing this to an unproven link to autism. Decades of research and data show that vaccinations do save lives and money, however conflicting reports, media coverage, and a lack of education for parents has led to this new trend.
While we know that virtually every demographic is affected by limited health literacy, data shows that less educated, older and Hispanic/Latino adults are disproportionately impacted. Some research indicates that literacy skills are a stronger predictor of an individual’s health status than age, income, employment status, education level, or racial/ethnic group. Low health literacy is a significant cost burden on healthcare, with some estimates indicating the annual health care costs for individuals with low literacy skills are four times higher than those with higher literacy skills.
It should be the goal of every health organization to provide information that is easy to understand and obtain.
When complex topics are presented, providers and health advocates need to break that information into understandable segments. Many health organizations are making a concerted effort to improve their community’s health literacy, and you can learn more about the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy at: http://www.health.gov/communication/hlactionplan.
Along the lines of presenting health information in a more understandable way, check out this great infographic summarizing the importance of health literacy: http://www.communicatehealth.com/blog/2012/05/we-are-the-90/.
