Health Literacy Definition By Who

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.

Health literacy definition by who. A prescription to end confusion 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. The ability to read and understand medication instructions is a form of health literacy. Health literacy is the capacity to find interpret and use information and health services to make effective decisions for health and wellbeing.

Health literacy helps control chronic ills health literacy defined as an individual s ability to acquire understand and use the information needed to make health related decisions healthypeople gov 2012 is an especially important factor in patients ability to manage their interactions with the healthcare system. This is also the definition that was included in healthy people 2010 and 2020. Health literacy is both a means and an outcome of actions aimed at promoting the empowerment and participation of people in their communities and of people in their health care.

Earlier iterations of healthy people defined health literacy 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. Definition health literacy is defined in the institute of medicine report health literacy. Research has shown there is a strong relationship between a person s health literacy and their health status.

Thus health literacy means more than being able to read pamphlets and make appointments. The patient protection and affordable care act of 2010 title v defines health literacy as the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain communicate process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions.