Health Literacy

Health literacy refers to an individual’s understanding of health information.  This ability is related to several factors:

1. language (does the individual speak and read the language in which information is being provided?).
2. reading comprehension (the average reading level in the U.S. is 8th grade.  A great deal of health information is written at a much higher level).
3. understanding of health constructs and concepts. 

Many health care providers fail to take these concerns into account when they provide health information.  This can lead patients to follow-through with treatment inappropriately, even when they have apparently agreed to the treatment recommended.  To learn more about health literacy, go to: http://www.iom.edu/report.asp?id=19723.

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