Studies consistently show that a significant number of people have problems reading, understanding, using and acting on health information. As a result, people who don’t understand health information are less likely to get preventive health care and more likely to have health problems.

Advancing health literacy builds a world in which not only individuals – but also organizations – have the ability to find, understand, and use health information and services. In turn, individuals and organizations can make informed decisions and take action to better their health.

Creating an environment of health literacy

When creating an environment of health literacy, objectives could include:

  • Check a patient’s understanding. Health care providers can help patients understand health information, like instructions for care, by asking them to describe how they’ll follow the instructions in their own words.
  • Encourage trust and good communication. Many patients have trouble talking with their health care providers and care team and may feel intimidated. Strategies to improve communication between health care providers and care team and patients can lead to better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and self-management of diseases.
  • Include patients in decision making. Shared decision-making — when people and their health care providers work together to make decisions — can lead to higher patient satisfaction and better health outcomes.
  • Language barriers can be a deterrent to health care. Employ patient caregivers who speak different languages and/or provide materials in other languages can bridge a language barrier gap.
How can organizations, communities, and individuals improve health literacy?

Using health literacy best practices can build trust, which encourages a willingness to seek and use information and engage in care and healthy behaviors. Three tips to help build trust and encourage health literacy include:

  • Provide accurate information: Health literacy does not mean “dumbing-down” information, but instead ensures information is presented accurately and in ways that people can understand.
  • Make information accessible and inclusive:
    • Is the information where people can see it? Determine how people who aren’t actively looking for information are exposed to it.
    • Have you made the information easy to view? For instance, use large fonts, sub-heads, bullets, and plenty of white space.
    • Are you sharing the information across multiple channels and formats?
  • Ensure the information is actionable: Provide background information but also ensure you provide actionable information.

At Centrus Health, we believe increasing health literacy in our communities helps to eliminate health disparities, which in turn achieves health equity, with an end goal to improve the health and well-being of all.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Health Communication and Health Information Technology Workgroup