Health Literacy Paper

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Recommended: Explain the role of health education

Health literacy is based on one’s ability to acquire and process information in order to make the best possible health care choices (Altin, Finke, Kautz-Freimuth, & Stock, 2014). Having adequate levels of health literacy is imperative to preventing disease and maintaining optimal health. Current studies stress the importance health literacy has on making informed health care decisions, thus allowing patient self-efficacy and facilitating health and wellness (Aboumatar, Carson, Beach, Roter, & Cooper, 2013). When health literacy levels are low, individuals have trouble understanding the consequences of risky health behavior, tend to get sick more often, have more chronic disease, are more likely to be uninsured, and are less likely to follow …show more content…

Studies show that some people are at a higher risk for low health literacy. These groups include: persons who have English as a second language; patients who do not effectively communicate with and understand health care professionals; individuals who engage in risky behaviors such as drug abuse, smoking, and unprotected sex; persons who hold cultural beliefs other than the majority; and persons with lower levels of education (Galiatsatos, Rios, Daniel, Colburn, & Christmas, 2015; Levy, Janke, & Langa, 2015; Mantwill, Monestel-Umaña, & Schulz, 2015; McCory & Mason, 2011; Sørensen et al., 2012). Having adequate levels of health literacy ensures patient involvement in the health care process, increases patient satisfaction within the health arena, and enhances total health …show more content…

(2013). Often patients are unable to access the knowledge needed to make informed health care decisions. At other times, patients simply do not understand how to process the information they have been given to make educated choices (Altin, Finke, Kautz-Freimuth, & Stock, 2014). One way to overcome these obstacles is to implement an education program that teaches health care professionals the importance of HL. These professionals can then disseminate the knowledge they learn to the patient population. Requiring health care students to enroll in a HL course at the beginning of their education has the potential to reach a large percentage of the patient population (Devraj, Butler, Gupchup, & Poirier, 2010). Moreover, if health career students learn about the importance of treating the whole person, they will be able to treat not only a patients’ body, but also their mind and spirit (Bredle, Salsman, Debb, Arnold, & Cella,

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