This alarming statistic shows why health care professionals and educators need to be more conscientious when explaining health related matters to their patients. The importance of being health literate can be solved by having readily accessible information to health related matters so that the average person can understand and use to make informed decisions.
The Florida Literacy Coalition held a Health Literacy Summit last year which dealt with this same issue. Plain language is clear simplified wording that acts as an initiative that emphasizes the importance of using simple words that people can understand when communicating with patients. The importance of health care professionals communicating with their patients in plain language will ultimately help with the issue of doctor to patient miscommunication. The benefits of health care professionals using plain language will increase the percentage of people who have an intermediate or proficient health literacy level and decrease the amount of people that have a basic health literacy level.
Table 1. Descriptions of Health Literacy
Health Literacy Level Task Examples Percentage
Proficient Using a table, calculate an employee’s share of health insurance costs for a year. 12%
Intermediate Read instructions on a prescription label, and determine what time a person can take the medication. 53%
Basic Read a pamphlet, and give two reasons a person with no symptoms should be tested for a disease. 21%
Below Basic Read a set of short instructions, and identify what is permissible to drink before a medical test. 14%
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy..
The following are ways to become more health literate:
1. Improve Communication With Your Doctors:
⦁ Ask your health care professional to use familiar language and write down their information.
⦁ Ask questions if something is unclear. Ask for written information to take home.
1. Take action in your community:
⦁ Attend health education programs around your area.
⦁ Request that local schools include health literacy in their adult education curriculum.
SOURCES
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. America’s Health Literacy: Why We Need Accessible Health Information. Available at: http://health.gov/communication/literacy/issuebrief/ (Accessed: 14 October 2015). Inline Citations: (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
Why Plain Language is so Important to Health Literacy
Posted on October 14, 2015 by Florida Literacy Coalition
Those involved in the health field spend many years educating themselves to learn the complex health related terminologies that are foreign to the average person. As a result, there is a large portion of the population who cannot comprehend what their doctors are telling them about their health. According to the U.S Department of Education, a little over sixty percent of the population can read instructions on a prescription label. This alarming statistic shows why health care professionals and educators need to be more conscientious when explaining health related matters to their patients. The importance of being health literate can be solved by having readily accessible information to health related matters so that the average person can understand and use to make informed decisions.
The Florida Literacy Coalition held a Health Literacy Summit last year which dealt with this same issue. Plain language is clear simplified wording that acts as an initiative that emphasizes the importance of using simple words that people can understand when communicating with patients. The importance of health care professionals communicating with their patients in plain language will ultimately help with the issue of doctor to patient miscommunication. The benefits of health care professionals using plain language will increase the percentage of people who have an intermediate or proficient health literacy level and decrease the amount of people that have a basic health literacy level.
Table 1. Descriptions of Health Literacy
Health Literacy Level Task Examples Percentage
Proficient Using a table, calculate an employee’s share of health insurance costs for a year. 12%
Intermediate Read instructions on a prescription label, and determine what time a person can take the medication. 53%
Basic Read a pamphlet, and give two reasons a person with no symptoms should be tested for a disease. 21%
Below Basic Read a set of short instructions, and identify what is permissible to drink before a medical test. 14%
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy..
The following are ways to become more health literate:
1. Improve Communication With Your Doctors:
⦁ Ask your health care professional to use familiar language and write down their information.
⦁ Ask questions if something is unclear. Ask for written information to take home.
1. Take action in your community:
⦁ Attend health education programs around your area.
⦁ Request that local schools include health literacy in their adult education curriculum.
SOURCES
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. America’s Health Literacy: Why We Need Accessible Health Information. Available at: http://health.gov/communication/literacy/issuebrief/ (Accessed: 14 October 2015). Inline Citations: (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Back in the chair again , will get back to my regular posts as soon as possible , (the words of wisdom and a recipe) . Been a little hectic here , hope things are going well in your corner of the world .
A proud grand-poppa G.
Aunty and Genie ,
ReplyDeleteJeannie , I hope things continue to get better , I am praying for you and family .
Your sweet niece
Dear Maxy ,
About four years ago , after 17 years of marriage (no children) , working full time , having a part-time job cleaning job , doing 90 percent of the housework and doing 80percent of the housework , I asked my husband whether I could quit my part-time job .
I was 42 and in good shape but having painful back problems from the type of work I did . My husband had a good job , and with a little bit of corner cutting , we didn't need the money from my part-time job . He agreed , but after a while , he began to seem distant and started talking constantly about a girl at work --- how amazing she was because she worked full time and went to school while caring for her two children .
After months of this , I thought a second job part-time job might make him treat me with more respect . Then my mother broke her arm and my father needed treatment for prostate cancer . So I helped them , along with working along with full time and a part-time job and doing the housework and yard-work . It didn't help . My husband hung out with that "amazing" girl . He also spent a lot of time with a guy that convinced him I was a freeloader .
After a horrible vacation where he bought earrings for Ms. Amazing and presents for her sons . I found emails between them . He admitter he was in love with her but said nothing had happened . He eventually moved out and filed for a divorce , but when he heard that I had moved to Hawaii , he tried to woo me back . After six months of promises that he had changed , I returned home .
I recently found a text from this same girl , asking when he'll be working with her again so they can go to lunch . I left the house . He says the girl has a boyfriend and I'm overreacting . Am I ?
Hawaii Bound
Dear Maxy ,
My co-workers and I have decided to be healthier and bring a potluck style lunch for everyone on Wednesdays as opposed to eating fast food . Most of these lunches have been great and they allow us to see what our co-workers eat at home . One of my co-workers brings hongeo , a fermented skate fish dish from Korea . This dish is on lists of the smelliest foods in the world --- I did my research ! No one ever eats it and it creates a general revulsion around the entire event , which used to be very pleasant . My co-worker does not seem to care that her contribution turns off everyone to the idea of eating . It seems to give her a pass to eat all the other food while not worrying if hers will be gone . Drawing rules around this event would single her out , but this stench is impossible to be around . Should I just send out a potluck email with some guidelines ?
Hating Hongeo
Thank you Nee
Deletethings are going better here. Your help is much appreciated as always. If we are helping people, you are just as responsible as we are .
Genie
Hi HB,
DeleteA good post as usual. Lots of food for thought. I sure have missed your posts.
It is surprising how little we really know about our bodies. And doctors, often are not very forthcoming. And as you mentioned they should explain in simpler terms that we can understand. Doctors forget we are just laymen without the benefit of their years of training. And none of us are familiar with medical terms ,drug names and which drugs are compatible.
I hope you and your family are all well.
Love to you all
Butterfly
My Lady ,
DeleteI am pleased you missed my posts , now give me a dang raise (laughing my Butt off) . Doctors have so little time and they tell people what they think they wants to hear . Sometime , doctors think they are helping you . I have a good one for this week . Hope you enjoy it .
Left you something on wag .
Hugs and love HB G.
Two more
ReplyDeleteDear Maxy ,
At a dinner party I attended last weekend , the group had an honest conversation about money . There was 10 people sitting around the table lamenting about not being able to afford something .Then debts , loans , earnings and savings worked their way into the conversation . I was very surprised .
I had grown up in a town where talking about money was considered extremely rude and a major faux pas . I stayed quiet for the conversation except for when I was asked what I was saving up for , I simply answered , "a nice vacation."
I feel as though excusing myself in a dramatic and I would like a polite or funny response for when I'm asked about my financial situation . Any tips ?
Mum about money , Biloxi , Mississippi
Dear Maxy ,
My wife and I are in our mid-70s and have no children . However , we have had pets , mostly cats , for all our 50 years together .
About 13 years ago , we bought an 8-week-old female Boston terrier puppy . A few months later a friend called us about a female Boston terrier that he could not keep and offered it to us . We took it on a trail basis and since it got along well with our dog (and our two cats ), we ended up keeping it .
We loved them both like they were our children . They rarely barked , got along great with adult and child visitors and loved being in the car . They were the best pets we ever had . We loved them . Both dogs were under the regular care of a vet . About a month ago , Spunky died in her sleep . It was devastating to lose her . Then , two weeks later , Petunia died . We are truly heartbroken .
I want to get another puppy or young dog as soon as possible . However , the problem my wife . She misses these dogs as mush as I do , but she feels we are too old to get another dog . What do you think we should do ?
Grieving for Our Pets