Health Literacy—Not All Patient Education is Created Equal
HealthWise: 9.21.2017 by Christy Calhoun,
Senior Vice President, Consumer Health Experience
We
live in a time of information overload. Health consumers are bombarded with
tweets, alerts, fake news, contradictory studies, and more. So, if everyone can
access information 24/7, why is health literacy still a problem? Because people
can feel overwhelmed, uncertain about what sources to trust, and unable to make
decisions or take action to care for their health.
Health
literacy is a widespread challenge in the U.S., as these statistics show:
What
is the impact of low health literacy?
The
Institute of Medicine defines health literacy as “the degree to which people
can obtain, process, and understand the basic health information and services
they need to make appropriate health decisions.” Patients and families
frequently lack relevant, accurate medical evidence and skilled guidance at the
time of medical decision making.iv It can be challenging for people with low
health literacy to seek preventive care, understand and follow treatment plans,
or take medicines correctly. This can lead to confused patients, frustrated
clinicians, overuse of the emergency department, and ultimately higher costs.
What
are the key components of an effective patient education solution?
Content
that’s easy to understand
Unbiased
and evidence-based information
Teach
with visuals
Personal,
relevant, and helpful
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