Health literacy is a complex topic difficult to address
Health literacy was defined by the class lecture as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions (Healthy People, 2010). The features of health literacy include a wide range of skills and proficiencies that people develop throughout their lifetime. The title itself, Health literacy is composed of the noun literacy described by the adjective health. The noun literacy is defined in four specific parts within the health community: Fundamental literacy, the ability to read and comprehend prescription bottles, appointments slips, and the other essential health related …show more content…
The need and demand for these abilities vary in different societies (292). Basic functional literacy,made up of these components: reading/writing, speaking/listening, and numeracy/computation, has only been acknowledged in the past five years as necessary skills for individuals to make the appropriate health decisions for themselves (Andrulis,D. Brach,C.,2007,p.,s122). Health literacy can also function as a risk or asset. Low literacy is a risk factor because if a patient cannot even follow simple directions, their health suffers according to Dr. Suopis, 2016. Further empirical research has confirmed the relationship between low literacy, patient decision making, and compliance associated with prescription drug usage, as well as the capability to self-mange diseases, began in the United States asserted by, Nutbeam., 2008. Health literacy may alternatively function as an asset, a completely opposite view of literacy as a risk, as evidenced by the following : “Health literacy…is seen as a means to enable individuals to exert greater control over their health and the range of personal ,social ,and environmental determinants of health” ( 2008,p., 2074). The determinants of health include environmental factors, behavior and lifestyle factors, heredity, and medical care, one can see when these multiple factors work together not only for an individual but can have positive effects on a broad population level as well (Healthy People 2020). The complexity of health literacy is that it cannot be seen visibly like a wound in an office visit during a brief office interaction. In many ways, the complexity of health literacy can parallel the ingredients in a torte in that one bite alone cannot distinguish between how much is part egg and how much is part
Health literacy was defined by the class lecture as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions (Healthy People, 2010). The features of health literacy include a wide range of skills and proficiencies that people develop throughout their lifetime. The title itself, Health literacy is composed of the noun literacy described by the adjective health. The noun literacy is defined in four specific parts within the health community: Fundamental literacy, the ability to read and comprehend prescription bottles, appointments slips, and the other essential health related …show more content…
The need and demand for these abilities vary in different societies (292). Basic functional literacy,made up of these components: reading/writing, speaking/listening, and numeracy/computation, has only been acknowledged in the past five years as necessary skills for individuals to make the appropriate health decisions for themselves (Andrulis,D. Brach,C.,2007,p.,s122). Health literacy can also function as a risk or asset. Low literacy is a risk factor because if a patient cannot even follow simple directions, their health suffers according to Dr. Suopis, 2016. Further empirical research has confirmed the relationship between low literacy, patient decision making, and compliance associated with prescription drug usage, as well as the capability to self-mange diseases, began in the United States asserted by, Nutbeam., 2008. Health literacy may alternatively function as an asset, a completely opposite view of literacy as a risk, as evidenced by the following : “Health literacy…is seen as a means to enable individuals to exert greater control over their health and the range of personal ,social ,and environmental determinants of health” ( 2008,p., 2074). The determinants of health include environmental factors, behavior and lifestyle factors, heredity, and medical care, one can see when these multiple factors work together not only for an individual but can have positive effects on a broad population level as well (Healthy People 2020). The complexity of health literacy is that it cannot be seen visibly like a wound in an office visit during a brief office interaction. In many ways, the complexity of health literacy can parallel the ingredients in a torte in that one bite alone cannot distinguish between how much is part egg and how much is part