All people, and not just those with limited reading skills or people for whom English is a second language, are affected by limited health literacy. According to the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy (NAPIHL), nearly 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty using routine health information.
When people struggle with understanding how to prevent and manage health conditions, they are more likely to skip necessary medical tests and visit the emergency room more often. They also tend to make mistakes with their medications and fail to understand nutrition labels.
The good news is that health care facilities are trying to improve. One of the resources used is the NAPIHL. This plan, as well as others, have given health care providers several tools to better deliver their messages to patients. They include simplifying written materials, using video or other methods to help doctors better communicate with their patients.
According to HealthTradition.com, there are also several things individuals can do to improve their understanding of health-related information:
Websites with more information: