Health Literacy Occupational Therapy

Health literacy influences life s occupations as it enables optimal access to and utilization of relevant and meaningful health information and services and allows informed health decision making and action.

Health literacy occupational therapy. Reading writing listening and speaking. Health literacy and rehabilitation the canadian association of occupational therapists developed a position statement on health and literacy caot 2006 outlining occupational therapists responsibilities to provide hl education engage in opportunities to advance scholarly activities in this area and maintain their skills and awareness of hl best practice. This session will review techniques for clear and effective communication verbal and written communication with those from other cultures writing and selecting easy to read health materials and assessment tools to use to ensure that clients understand the therapy services provided and have the skills needed to access understand and use health information.

It is essential that occupational therapy researchers begin to compile information about how health literacy influences occupational therapy service provision. The canadian association of occupational therapists caot acknowledges that health literacy is a resource for daily living. A scoping study of the scientific and grey literature.

For full access to this pdf sign in to an existing account or purchase an annual subscription. Health literacy is defined as the ability to access understand evaluate and communicate information as a way to promote maintain and improve health in various settings over the life course. Through involvement with the american occupational therapy association numerous presentations and training and program development at healthsouth dr.

When the school team including the occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant helps to address reading ability there may be a greater likelihood that the student will successfully transition towards graduation and beyond. Guidelines to promote health literacy in occupational therapy practice must be developed and tested in specific practice settings and with specific clinical populations. Abstractthis paper aims to report ways of integrating health literacy into occupational therapy practice.

A scoping study of the scientific and grey literature on health and specifically occupational. Miller scott has passionately promoted the need for occupational therapy practitioners to develop awareness and skills related to the health literacy of clients. Implications for occupational therapy practitioners including establishment of best practices for health literacy and providing consultation for other health care professions are highlighted.