Health Literacy And Health Care - 2161 Words

Health literacy as defined in Cromier Kotrlik article â€Å"the ability to read, understand, and use health information to make appropriate health care decisions and follow instructions for treatment† (Cromier 2007). It is a problem that affects an estimated 47 million people in the US alone and costs an estimated 73 billion dollars a year. These costs come from increased hospitalizations, the use of less preventative medicine, as well as, the social stigma that comes with having poor health literacy stopping people from seeking treatment at all. Health literacy is an important skill that every person needs to effectively make decisions relating to health care, which includes not only general health, but also disease and illness management, and health plan management. It is a problem that nurses can help combat through the utilization of effective communication, the continuum of care, and as advocates for policy change. Effective communication includes both communication s with the patient as well as other health providers. The continuum of care is primarily comprised of patient education and needs to include making sure patients understand what they are being taught. Lastly, nurses need to be involved in the avocation for policy change. That should include health facility policy, local policy, and national policy. These three critical areas can go a long way in improving the health literacy of the US and could potentially save the lives of many who are overlooked in theShow MoreRelatedHealth Literacy And Health Care1386 Words   |  6 Pagesintention to improve and enhance quality care to patients and the community. The ability to understand and act on health information is one of the main issue in healthcare today. A professional nurse is required to provide care and information for patients and their families. Patient and families have the right to able to understand medical information which would empower them to make informed decisions abo ut their care (Lambert et al. 2013). Improving Health Literacy in healthcare settings allows greaterRead MoreHealth Literacy : The Peoples Understanding Of Health And Health Care1589 Words   |  7 PagesHealth literacy is the peoples’ understanding of the information about health and health care. As well as how the information is applied to their lives including making decisions and representing it. Health literacy is essential to people’s lives as it form people’s health including the safety and quality of health care. For Australia, Health literacy is a significant issue. Health information and systems are becoming progressively more difficult and it is hard to understand. Similar to many establishedRead MoreHealth Literacy And Effective Communication1229 Words   |  5 Pagesgroups than non-indigenous population, low level of health literacy has been considered as negative factor that impacting on the delivery of effective care and health professionals’ performances on medical treatment. With integrated health literacy program, culturally competent and appropriate communication at individual, systemic and organisational level would enhance health outcomes for consumer’s welfare. Most importantly, improved health literacy and effective communication skills would plays anRead MoreHealth Literacy And The Health1603 Words   |  7 Pagesare sicker. In May of 2010 the United States Department of Health and Human Services implemented The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy i n efforts to improve health literacy and the health of the nation. The Center for Disease and Control defines Health Literacy as the level of which a person can access, communicate, evaluate and understand basic health information. Health Literacy can range from knowledge about preventative care, treatment and awareness of all factors that can influenceRead MoreHealth Literacy1207 Words   |  5 PagesHealth literacy is a term not widely understood by the general population. It is defined as â€Å"the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions and services needed to prevent or treat illness,† (About health literacy, 2014). A person’s level of health literacy is based on their age, education level, socioeconomic standing, and cultural background. Patients with low health literacy have a moreRead MoreProblems Experienced by Older Adults Who Have Low Health Litera cy Skills1013 Words   |  4 PagesHealth literacy Problems experienced by older adults who have low health literacy skills Health literacy has great implications for the older adults in the population. One implication is that the older adults may put off important screenings and tests. This is because as a lack of the proper health literacy skills, the older adults will not see the relevance or importance of these screenings and tests and thus will ignore them. This has been seen to lead to a higher incidence of problems thatRead MoreNursess Promotion Of Health Literacy Using Theories1706 Words   |  7 PagesPromotion of Health Literacy Using Theories Health literacy has been a problem with our patients. The most vulnerable populations are the elderly, people with low-income levels, those with limited education, non-native speakers of English, those with chronic mental and physical health conditions, minority, and immigrant populations. Nurses have a great role in helping our patients succeed in understanding their health conditions. Nurses can be of great help in promoting health literacy. Sykes, WillsRead MoreEssay on Impact of Health Literacy on Health1193 Words   |  5 Pages Health literacy is defined as The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions (Michael K. Paasche-Orlow, 2010), the word Health literacy first appeared in 1974 in a paper which calls for â€Å"education standards for all grade school levels in USA† (Carolyn Speros, 2004) . Some recent works suggest that there is a relation between literacy, low health and premature deaths (ChristinaRead MoreUnderstanding Literacy, And Health Literacy1663 Words   |  7 PagesAn understanding of literacy, and health literacy is crucial to understand their impact on client health outcomes. Further, a nurse’s ability to better educate clients lies in his or her understanding of these terms. Literacy is a multilayered, dynamic and complex topic; however, in short literacy is a set of skills including reading, writing oral skills, numeracy skills, and skills that enable us to acquire knowledge and information (Keefe Copeland, 2011). Literacy can be understood throughRead MoreHealth Literacy Is Considered A Motivating Factor Behind Wellness And The Absence Of Disease1531 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Health Literacy resides beneath the umbrella of social determinants; aptitude in this form of literacy is a determinant of wellbeing, and influences vulnerabilities and capacities towards disease formation and prevention (Reading Wien, 2009). Health literacy is considered a motivating factor behind wellness and the absence of disease but also for appropriate management with regard to chronic disease with maximisation of outcomes directly attributing to health literacy capacity. Historically