Health Literacy And Meaning

Health literacy is linked to literacy and entails people s knowledge motivation and competences to access understand appraise and apply health information in order to make judgements and take decisions in everyday life concerning health care disease prevention and health promotion to maintain or improve quality of life during the life course.

Health literacy and meaning. Literacy numeracy and technology skills are increasingly important in today s information rich environments. Health literacy implies the achievement of a level of knowledge personal skills and confidence to take action to improve personal and community health by changing personal lifestyles and living conditions. Thus health literacy means more than being able to read pamphlets and make appointments.

Health literacy has been defined as 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. Health literacy is the ability to obtain read understand and use healthcare information in order to make appropriate health decisions and follow instructions for treatment. People need literacy and numeracy skills to find understand and use health information and services.

Defining health literacy health literacy refers broadly to the ability of individuals to gain access to understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health 1 for themselves their families and their communities. In 1999 the american medical association s ad hoc committee on health literacy defined health literacy as the constellation of skills including the ability to perform basic reading and numerical tasks required to function in the health care environment including the ability to read and comprehend prescription bottles appointment slips and other essential health related materials 2 the definitions used by healthy people 2010 5 and the institute of medicine iom 3 were. Health literacy is the skills and knowledge of a person to access understand and use information to make decisions and take action about health and healthcare.

Health literacy is defined as the ability of an individual to obtain and translate knowledge and information in order to maintain and improve health in a way that is appropriate to the individual and system contexts. What people know and what they do with what they know has a major impact on their life chances.