Introduction All individuals across the world strive to acquire high levels of competence and literacy across all aspects of education. It is human nature to maintain good health, and to educate ourselves on how to sustain prominent, fulfilling lifestyles. In application to health, the first step in achieving adequate health requires one to know where to locate reliable information. Not only is it important to understand what it takes to create health, but also the process of preserving healthy habits at all times. The construct of Health Literacy illustrates this notion entirely—and can be defined as the capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions (CDC.gov). …show more content…
It is also important to look at health decisions and outcomes as it relates to consumers’ demand. A great deal of healthcare outcomes is impacted by the education and health literacy. Patients who are able to learn about their healthcare have more information to help them get involved in making decisions concerning their health and treatment options. Pleasant (2014) reveals that low levels of education, literacy, and health literacy impact health outcomes as well as healthcare utilization. There are consumers who would seek health care in the first place, as a result of a symptom they have experienced or are experiencing. Some would not seek health care because they are not aware of the severity of their health condition; this could be also be because they cannot afford the care, or many other factors. The knowledge of one’s health condition may lead them to demand care. However, the greater situation lies in what results from the choices consumers make why they make these choices, especially concerning treatment options and/or choice of …show more content…
In this study, the patients’ intent was found to be the major determinant on their choice to demand healthcare (Guimaraes Jr, Soares, Ferraz Junior, & Medeiros, 2015). For instance, if a consumer is not aware of cost options, cost ranges, and treatment options, he or she may be subjected to simply accepting health costs without getting a chance to decide whether or not the care option is the best. The consumer in this case just agrees to all provider recommendation; although, health information is provided in most cases but as our definition of health literacy infers, there is more for the patient beyond reading, there is understanding, then acting of what has been read and understood. Sometimes, consumers are not educated in that they have not been through formal education but in other instances, they have also not taken the time to seek health information in other to be aware of several options. Zafar, Ubel, Tulsky, & Pollak (2015) discuss the need for an improvement in cost-related health literacy that would positively impact the quality of care for patients. We can see how health literacy might play a huge role in medical care demand and health outcomes. This work will further look into how health literacy might affect health care outcomes such as cost and communication satisfaction between providers and patients. Although a broad terminology, we will
Despite the established health care facilities in the United States, most citizens do not have access to proper medical care. We must appreciate from the very onset that a healthy and strong nation must have a proper health care system. Such a health system should be available and affordable to all. The cost of health services is high. In fact, the ...
According to healthypeople.gov, a person’s ability to access health services has a profound effect on every aspect of his or her health, almost 1 in 4 Americans do not have a primary care provider or a health center where they can receive regular medical services. Approximately 1 in 5 A...
Conaty-Buck, S. (2009). Unblocking barriers: Clearing the channel to improve communication between practitioners and patients with low health literacy. (Order No. 3364864, University of Virginia). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 121. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/305011452?accountid=14694. (305011452).
Still, there is the access, quality, and affordability of health services provided to each individual. “How do we as a society approach these enormous determinant of health?” Finally, Quality is a major concern of receiving good health, and if there is always bad service then why is insurance such a factor. Insurance is a major focal point of how an individual it treated for any health related issue. Though, insurance is the reason for receiving good adequate treatment, other concerns await; such as the cost of these high premiums for
However, health literacy is more than just read and write; it is the ability to understand and able to use health information to make choices about their health (Benyon, 2014). Low health literacy can have detrimental effect on the health of the client because it may cause misunderstand of the medical label or health information. According to McMurray & Clendon (2015), health literacy divided into three different levels which are functional, interactive/communicative and critical health literacy. As for functional levels, it is the most general and fundamental level for the general public because individuals need to receive and understand the information of health such as risk of health decision, consent forms, health instruction or medicine labels. (McMurray & Clendo , 2015) Turning to the next level, interactive/communicative health literacy, mainly involved personal skills to spread health knowledge to the community, and also , people are able to influence social norm and help others individuals to develop their personal health capacity. Because of this, understanding of how organization work and resounding communication skill which can help to support others and knowing how to get different health services other individuals need (McMurray & Clendo , 2015). The third level is critical health literacy, mainly divided to
In this demand model there is a presumption that consumers command a level of quality of care when they are “sick, injured, or otherwise in pain and that physicians are available to these consumers once they become patients,” (Samuels, 2012, p. 16). Therefore, in this model, those that are covered by an insurance is a consumer and does not become a patient until they are in need of care. Samuels’ (2012) describes illness-based demand further by stating that as consumers prior to seeking out healthcare, whether a practitioner’s office, a clinic, urgent care, or hospitals’ emergency room, they progressively become sicker. Prior to the event this consumer has not yet been identified by the system. Illness-based model remains the emergency services
“Free medical services would encourage patients to practice preventive medicine and inquire about problems early when treatment will be light; currently, patients often avoid.” (Messerli)
Health literacy is a term not widely understood by the general population. It is defined as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions and services needed to prevent or treat illness,” (About health literacy, 2014). A person’s level of health literacy is based on their age, education level, socioeconomic standing, and cultural background. Patients with low health literacy have a more difficult time navigating the health care system. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this group of patients may find it harder to find medical services and health care providers, fill out health forms, provide their complete medical history with their providers, seek preventative care, understand the health risks associated with some behaviors, taking care of chronic health conditions, and understanding how to take prescribed medications (About health literacy, 2014). It is to a certain extent the patient’s responsibility to increase their own health literacy knowledge. But to what extent can they learn on their own? Those working in the health field have been trained to navigate the health system and understand the medical terms. They have the knowledge and capability to pass on that understanding to their patients. Health care professionals have a shared responsibility to help improve patients’ health literacy.
Merging multi-literacies in Health and Physical Education could allow students to talk about topics of the genre more successfully and have knowledge of Health and Physical Education terms and language in daily life. According to Nutbeam (2000) interactive health literacy is a term which outlines the individual inspiration to maintain personal health. By teaching skills in the primary years to communicate and cope with health issues and physical activity will assist students in the schools of South Australia to know their personal requirements.
Networking Microsoft Office Education College: Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health Course: Health Literacy Development Date:
I think I am a health literate person because I believe my health and other people’s health is an essential aspect to having a quality life. Being a health literate person means being a critical thinker, a problem solver, a responsible and productive citizen, a self-directed learner, and an effective communicator.
The communication at health care is an essential element which aids professionals and customers in providing and taking services. The interpersonal or mass communication is vital for an individual in the health care department. Skills and abilities of a person or team helps in resolving health issues of customers. Therefore, health literacy plays an important role in building skills and abilities of workers at health care. Thus, the essay encompasses the various importances of health literacy and communication which will shape the future of a health care organization.
According to Keogh (2014), health literacy is comprised of literacy, comprehension, and participation. When I think of health literacy I focus on a patient's capacity to read and understand printed materials. A requirement of all nurses in the hospital I work in is to hand out education about the admitting diagnosis at the bedside. Every patient receives information about their diagnosis, interventions, prevention, possible surgical procedures, and medications. Many times I noticed a lack of interest when I handed these papers to patients and I would tell them I would give them time to read it throughout the day and anwser questions they may have. Some would read it and ask appropriate questions, but I would say most did not. It was then that I became aware that a large percentage of people could not read or could not comprehend what they were
There are extremely large gaps in our entire aspect of understanding the role of communication services in health care delivery. The care of patients is interesting topic that needs to be addressed, it involves different individuals at all aspects of life, all needing to share patient care information and discuss the management perspective. The special services are increasing with interest in, the use of, information and communication technologies to support health services. Yet, while there is significant discussion of, and investment in, information technologies, communication systems receive much less attention and the clinical adoption of even simpler services like email, voice-calls, and any other electronic interactions is still not commonplace in many health services. Laboratory medicine is perhaps even more poorly studied than many other areas, such as the defining what primary care and hospital services are. Given this lack of specific information about laboratory communication services, this paper will help identify the financial structure of our healthcare system, particularly as it relates to health disparities, the uninsured, and functional communication challenges that America has been faced with, analyze the key components of a communication system, including the basic concepts of a communication channel, service, device and interaction mode. The review will then try and summarize some of what is known about specific communication problems that arise across health services in the main, including the community and hospital service delivery, and how it will we be able to improve the quality of care.
There has been a great deal of attention given by individuals, the media and by the government to Health Education. There is no doubt that a population which is “health literate” is significant for the sake of the “public health as a whole and consequently for public finances”(Tappe 2013) (Younghee 2013). Many countries, including the U.S., have realized just how vital these issues have become. Sadly however, the ability to understand basic health information, with or without health education, as well as access and process the services is only possessed by “50%”of the American public, resulting in the escalation of health care costs as well as poor decision making regarding health care.