Low Health Literacy
Health literacy and its impact on patient health
Michelle Polanco
Empire State College
Health literacy and its impact on patient health
What if you found yourself going for a regular check up with your Primary Medical Doctor (PMD) and you were unable to understand the conversation? Better yet, what if you misconstrued very important information related to your treatment regimen? “It costs the public health system $18.2 million a year in misdirected or misunderstood health-care services” (Bryant, 2011, p. 7). The fact is that for millions, poor health literacy is a barrier to accessing health services and information. Low health literacy is a risk factor that can lead to poor patient outcomes. According to the World Health Organization health literacy is defined as “the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health”(WHO, 2012).
Problem
More than 24,500 Americans can not adequately understand basic health information (Healthy People2010, 2009). With the healthcare industry advancing into modern technology and our older patients living longer with long-term conditions, the population that struggles with low literacy will experience increasingly difficulties when it comes to accessing medical needs and health information they require to assist with their treatment regimen. “Struggles with trying to understand essential information such as emergency room department discharge instructions, consent forms, oral instructions, educational materials, and labels on medication containers often undermine motivation for carrying out medical instructions and, thus, seriously hamper health outcomes”(Bryant, 2011, p. 7). A patient who is able to read has the ability to prevent him or herself from experiencing illness, in that they are better able to obtain healthcare services and follow treatment regimens. In
Michelle Polanco
Empire State College
Health literacy and its impact on patient health
What if you found yourself going for a regular check up with your Primary Medical Doctor (PMD) and you were unable to understand the conversation? Better yet, what if you misconstrued very important information related to your treatment regimen? “It costs the public health system $18.2 million a year in misdirected or misunderstood health-care services” (Bryant, 2011, p. 7). The fact is that for millions, poor health literacy is a barrier to accessing health services and information. Low health literacy is a risk factor that can lead to poor patient outcomes. According to the World Health Organization health literacy is defined as “the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health”(WHO, 2012).
Problem
More than 24,500 Americans can not adequately understand basic health information (Healthy People2010, 2009). With the healthcare industry advancing into modern technology and our older patients living longer with long-term conditions, the population that struggles with low literacy will experience increasingly difficulties when it comes to accessing medical needs and health information they require to assist with their treatment regimen. “Struggles with trying to understand essential information such as emergency room department discharge instructions, consent forms, oral instructions, educational materials, and labels on medication containers often undermine motivation for carrying out medical instructions and, thus, seriously hamper health outcomes”(Bryant, 2011, p. 7). A patient who is able to read has the ability to prevent him or herself from experiencing illness, in that they are better able to obtain healthcare services and follow treatment regimens. In
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