Health literacy
Health Literacy
Health literacy (/hɛlθ lɪtərəsi/) 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.
Etymology
The term "health literacy" is derived from the English words "health" and "literacy". The word "health" comes from the Old English "hǣlth", which has the same root as the word "whole". "Literacy" comes from the Latin "litteratus" meaning "educated, learned".
Definition
Health literacy is not just the ability to read, but also the capacity to understand and use health information to make decisions and follow instructions for treatment. It involves a range of skills that people use to gather, understand, and use health information and services.
Importance
Health literacy is important because it shapes people’s health and the safety and quality of health care. Low health literacy is linked to higher rates of hospitalization and use of emergency services, and less frequent use of preventive services. It can result in medication errors, increased health care costs, and ultimately poorer health outcomes.
Related Terms
- Health Education: It is a profession of educating people about health. It includes topics such as environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health.
- Health Communication: It is the study and practice of communicating promotional health information, such as in public health campaigns, health education, and between doctor and patient.
- Patient Empowerment: It is a process that helps people gain control over their own lives and increases their capacity to act on issues that they themselves define as important.
- Healthcare System: It is the organization of people, institutions, and resources that deliver health care services to meet the health needs of target populations.
- Public Health: It is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Health literacy
- Wikipedia's article - Health literacy
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