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Health Literacy

Who Can Help Improve Health Literacy?

In the 21st century, health information is everywhere and consumers need reliable ways to find their information, such as a physician or a health information library (MLA, 2005). Medical librarians are “trained to search for the best and most current health information. They are expert searches and can help make their communities healthier” (MLA, 2005). Through training, librarians know which websites are reliable and can find health information adequate to the patient’s reading level. In addition, medical librarians bring awareness of the importance of health literacy to health care professionals and can also education the public through classes and other means.

Healthcare providers and health care systems play an important role in the increase of health literacy (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Healthcare providers need to be aware of low health literacy (MLA, 2005) and practice methods to identify a patient with low health literacy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a helpful National Action Plan. 

The Institute of Medicine has a document called the 10 Attributes of Health Literate Health Care Organizations. This document provides organizations with a list of 10 attributes they need to become a health literate organization that can help patients better navigate their health and health care. A health literate health care organization:

  1. Has leadership that makes health literacy integral to its mission, structure, and operations.
  2. Integrates health literacy into planning, evaluation measures, patient safety, and quality improvement.
  3. Prepares the workforce to be health literate and monitors progress.
  4. Includes populations served in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health information and services.
  5. Meets the needs of populations with a range of health literacy skills while avoiding stigmatization.
  6. Uses health literacy strategies in interpersonal communications and confirms understanding at all points of contact.
  7. Provides easy access to health information and services and navigation assistance.
  8. Designs and distributes print, audiovisual, and social media content that is easy to understand and act on.
  9. Addresses health literacy in high-risk situations, including care transitions and communications about medicines.
  10. Communicates clearly what health plans cover and what individuals will have to pay for services. 

Brach et al., 2012

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