Why Health Literacy is Important? When you think about health literacy, what comes to mind? Your mind flashes back to a time when you had to ask your parents how a cold works. If you’re anything like me, you remember another story of an ill-fated trip to the doctor, where it was finally revealed that they were unable to provide any real help.
As we age, these moments become more frequent. We may not be able to prevent illness, but we can reduce our risk by educating ourselves on how our bodies work and how we can prevent illnesses and stay healthy. Here are some ways you can increase your health literacy and learn more about staying healthy.
What is health literacy
Health literacy is the ability to access and understand health-related information, which is also called health information literacy. Health literacy is important as it allows individuals to make informed decisions about their health and encourages them to take control of their own health.
To make sure that we’re getting the right information to stay healthy, we need to have a high level of health literacy.
Why it’s important to increase your health literacy
Your health literacy is just as important as your literacy level. When you are ill, or when you have a chronic condition, it’s vital to know how to self-manage your condition, even if that means taking medication or getting treatment from another provider. If you don’t know how to manage a condition, you may end up doing more harm than good by not knowing what you can and cannot do.
Health literacy is also important for those close to you. You want to be able to provide your loved ones with the information they need so they can make decisions about their own health.
If you’re interested in learning more about health literacy and how it affects our overall wellness, start by educating yourself on the basics of your body and what it does every day. Next, educate yourself on potential illnesses and conditions that may occur in your family history and which ones are likely for someone like you.
From there, learn about preventative measures that people should take before becoming sick (like exercise) and things others can do during illness (like taking medicine). Finally, learn about different types of care providers and where treatment may be needed based on your diagnosis. This will help guide your treatment options if needed!
Let us go take care of that self! Slide through our post! Healthy Body, Healthy Mind: How to Stay Healthy?
5 ways to increase your health literacy
- Read to learn
- Find trusted health resources
- Learn about the importance of exercise
- Set measurable goals for yourself
- Ask for help when you need it
Conclusion of Why Health Literacy is Important
A large body of evidence shows that individuals with low health literacy are more likely to use health care services, yet fewer than half of Americans have adequate health literacy skills.