Advocate Health - Midwest Library has created a selection of resources for teammates to help them understand the concept and importance of health literacy and to communicate health information in a way that can be best understood by patients.
What is Health Literacy?
Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
Who is Affected?
Anyone can struggle with health literacy, but certain populations are more vulnerable. Social and cultural determinants impact health literacy levels. According to the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), low health literacy is more prevalent among older adults, minority populations, those who have low socioeconomic status, and medically underserved people.
Why does Health Literacy Matter?
People with low health literacy might:
- Have difficulty filling out complex health forms
- Make medication errors
- Have issues managing chronic diseases
- Skip preventative services
- Have poorer health outcomes
