The challenges of health literacy and how we can improve it.
One aspect of healthcare that needs extra attention is health literacy. Health literacy is defined as the ability to obtain and understand health information so that the appropriate decisions can be made. Even if someone can gain access to health care, it may not be helpful if they don’t understand what is going on. It is surprisingly common to not have full understanding of your personal health.
Some common factors in people who may face challenges with their health literacy:
- Demographics
- Communication skills
- Severity of illness
- Culture
Demographics and Cultural Competency
Demographics are very important to consider in health literacy. These are characteristics like age, gender, ethnicity, education and income. Patients who are young or elderly may have a tough time understanding their health care. This is especially apparent when they must depend on someone else for interpretation or decision making. Elderly patients may have a harder time reading or hearing a doctor’s instructions.
Health literacy can be an issue with different genders, especially when it comes to reproductive organs/genitals…
