Unlocking Better Health: Celebrating 25 Years of Health Literacy Month
Never before has understanding and acting on health information been a more critical necessity in today’s complex healthcare landscape. October marks Health Literacy Month-an important observance that shines the spotlight on the critical role health literacy plays in public health improvement. submit guest post health this year marks the 25th year of the Health Literacy Month and brings much-needed attention to making health information accessible, clear, and actionable for all.
What is Health Literacy?
Health literacy is defined as the ability of a person to access, evaluate, and apply health information with confidence in making proper decisions in managing health and illness. Skills that may involve reading medical instructions, understanding prescription labels, or when to avail oneself of healthcare systems are part of its scope. Health literacy is an important component of public health since it actually empowers people for self-management of their health through comprehension of conditions or treatment options.
Even this is given a high importance, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy revealed that only a meager 12% of the adult population in the U.S. have a proficient health literacy. Lack baseline health literacy practices leads to other negative health issues, frequent hospitalizations and overall costs. Hence, there is increasing concern to the gaps in health literacy as far as health information is concerned, a need that call for health providers and the institutions of public health to make health information available for all regardless of the level of education.
Why Health Literacy is Important
1. Navigating the health care delivery system: The health services utilization and filling medical questionnaires, as well as communication with the healthcare providers.
2. Managing chronic diseases: Many diseases require self-management such as monitoring blood pressure or blood sugar levels. Low health literacy might hamstring patients from adhering to treatment plans.
3. Avoid medical errors: Not knowing prescription instructions or healing protocols may lead to adverse dangerous circumstances.
4. Improve the outcome in health: The individual would adhere more devotedly to his treatment plan when he knows what has been affected and how he will be treated.
A lack of health literacy makes matters worse as far as health disparities are concerned because it is a problem that falls disproportionately on the body of marginalized groups, including older adults, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with lower socioeconomic status. Health care becomes more equitable if gaps were to be bridged through health literacy initiatives.
The History of Health Literacy Month
Health Literacy Month was first observed in 1999 by health literacy consultant Helen Osborne. Since its inception, the campaign has taken off and is now sponsored by healthcare organizations, schools, community groups, and public health agencies across the globe. The effort has always been the same-a push for clearer communication in the healthcare environment and efforts toward making health information more accessible and actionable for everyone.
Throughout the month of October, health care providers and public health organizations across the country conduct awareness-raising campaigns to enhance patient education and promote the adoption of best practices in health literacy among health professionals. It is also an opportune time to share resources that will help the general population better access and make use of information about their health.
Role of Technology in Health Literacy
Today, technology provides new tools and platforms for promoting health literacy. It may be that websites, mobile apps, and telehealth services make healthy information more accessible and usable for some who might otherwise find it difficult to understand traditional health communication. Still, digital literacy-that is, the ability to apply technological competence-requires another element as well: namely, the awareness of the quality and reliability of found information. submit guest post health Many patients may have access to online health information, but they are not skilled in appraising its quality or reliability.
To tackle these issues, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has created resources such as the Health Literacy Online guide on how to create plain health digital information.
How Can You Get Involved?
Here are just a few ideas of what you can do, not just in Health Literacy Month but throughout the year:
* Use the Resources
* Start a Club or Group
* Volunteer in Your Community
Tips
1. Organize workshops on the idea of health literacy, empowering people to take control of understanding what the healthcare systems will do.
2. Education of healthcare providers to communicate better with their patients: using plain language, checking for understanding, and avoiding medical jargon.
3. Social media awareness: Use social media to share the message on the impact of health literacy. Resources and tips about the understanding of health information may reach many people.
4. Advice a client to ask questions during consultations: This is to ensure that the doctor has well communicated the conditions and or treatment options that will affect him or her.
Conclusion
KreativanSays, through celebrating the 25th year of Health Literacy Month, it’s a better time to remind health literacy is not only the patient’s responsibility but also a shared responsibility of the whole healthcare system and professionals. Sharply focusing on clear communication and accessible health information will continue to enable the individual to better make decisions about his health and thereby promote a healthier society.
Let us promise to improve health literacy for all and approach a future where people worldwide have access to and can understand the health information they need to lead healthier lives.