What is Health Literacy and Why is it Important?

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The term 'health literacy' certainly piques everybody's curiosity. It sounds like something that people should be aware of. While it is a new phrase, the notion behind it has an impact on people's health and wellness.

In this day and age, where health is given more prominence considering adulteration in food, pollution, new diseases, different types of cancers, etc. it has become quite important to know about one's well-being. People, especially children, are given opportunities to learn about health and wellness. Parents are always on the lookout for ways to keep their children and themselves healthy and active.

Getting back to what is health literacy; it can help individuals take control of their well-being. But what is it, and why is it important? This post contains information that covers everything about health literacy.

Keep on reading.

What is Health Literacy?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health literacy is the people's ability to obtain, communicate, understand, and process essential health services and information. An individual with robust health literacy can develop the skills and confidence to make informed decisions about the health of their loved ones as well as themselves. They can actively take part in the care of their loved ones. Just like reading literacy gives people the skills to use and understand written information, health literacy gives people the capabilities required to understand everything about their health and make informed decisions accordingly. It allows people to effectively navigate the healthcare system and find the best healthcare solutions.

In layman's terms, health literacy is how an individual obtains, interprets, and acts on health information. Being a health literate allows individuals to make the best decision regarding their or their loved ones' health. With that said, it extends beyond the patient. Patients, family members, caregivers, and the general public can understand what medical professionals like doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers are communicating.

Health literacy is a vital skill set to have for everybody, especially those who interact with the medical community. Nevertheless, people have started educating their children about health literacy from scratch, given that each and everyone is responsible for taking care of their mental and physical health. This makes health literacy an essential tool for everybody, including minors.

Health literacy varies by setting and context and is not primarily related to one's reading ability or years of education.

Why Does Health Literacy Matter?

People come across situations every day that involve life-changing decisions about their health. They confront these decisions in places like drug and grocery stores, hospitals, clinics, playgrounds, workplaces, and even the kitchen table. In order to make appropriate health decisions, accessing, communicating, assessing, and understanding health information is essential. However, studies suggest that health information and services are presented in a way(s) that are not usable or understandable by most adults. This can be termed as "Limited Health Literacy," where people aren't able to find and use health information they need.

Without precise information and understanding of the importance of the information, most of the population skip required medical tests and diagnosis. As a result, they end up being in ERs more often and have a harder time managing their illnesses, particularly chronic ones like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Another reason health literacy matters is that 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty processing everyday health information that is often available in communities, societies, media, internet, retail outlets, and healthcare facilities. This lack of literacy regarding health can cause some serious implications that can make a person's life miserable, both physically and mentally.

Who are the Key Stakeholders Affected by Limited Health Literacy?

People of all ages, education levels, genders, incomes, and races can find it challenging to obtain and understand health information and services. People need to realize that literacy skills are only just a part of health literacy. It means that even individuals with strong writing and reading skills can have trouble when it comes to health literacy.

In general, people can face health literacy difficulties when:

They are diagnosed with a severe disease that requires complicated self-care. Their health condition can make them confused and scared.
They have to calculate or interpret risks that could have an instant effect on their well-being and safety.
They are not familiar with how their bodies work and don't understand the medical terms used by caregivers or doctors.
They are relying on unfamiliar technical information that may or may not do anything good to them.

On the other hand, there is another set of vulnerable populations that are troubled with health literacy challenges. They include:

People with chronic physical or mental health conditions
Low-income people - below the fifth-grade level
Immigrant populations - they may find it difficult to understand their inhabiting country's healthcare laws and information
Minority populations
Elderly people above 65 years of age tend to have marginal or inadequate literacy skills

What does it take to Obtain Health Literacy?

People are often faced with complex treatment decisions and healthcare information. Promoting health literacy by the health staff is also a must. The specific tasks that an individual is required to carry out in order to be called a health literate include the ability to -

Locate health information
Interpret test results
Calculate dosages
Analyze relative advantages and disadvantages
Evaluate information for quality and credibility

To be able to accomplish these tasks, people are required to be -

Computationally or numerically literate - the ability to reason or calculate numerically
Information literate - the ability to access and apply relevant information
Computer literate - the ability to operate a smartphone or a computer
Visually literate - the ability to understand visual information like graphs, etc.
Communication - the ability to communicate thoughts and vision

Getting Started with Health Literacy

Experts advise people to get started with health blogs and health-related news to start their health literacy journey. When reading the blog/news, try to answer the following questions -

Is the news/blog based on a conference abstract?
Does the news/blog support its claims with scientific research?
How many people did the research study include?
Was the research in humans?

Conclusion

High rates of health literacy in population groups benefit communities and societies. Educating yourself, particularly children, is a better step towards a healthy and happy population.