Health Literacy Essay

Health Literacy Essay

Health Literacy Essay

Health literacy is the capacity and capability to access, acquire, process, and comprehend health information and make knowledgeable decisions about health care. It aids patients in superintending and being in charge of their health (Nutbeam, & Lloyd, 2020). Health literacy benefits include excellent patient safety, fewer hospitalizations, a more significant potential, and preparedness to care for themselves. It also helps reduce health-related costs. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to identify ways to help reduce the barriers that hinder healthcare literacy.

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Ways that Help Reduce Barriers Hindering Health Literacy

After reviewing the AHRQ website, the initial thought is that better medication outcomes in the patients’ health literacy and how the health care providers package and to communicate with patients will significantly reduce confusion and lead to the desired health outcome (Altman et al., 2019). Similarly, seeking medical attention, taking medications, and following the prescription of treatments demands patients to comprehend how to access and apply health information (Butkus et al., 2020). Moreover, health and medical care is a complicated area; thus, many people struggle with comprehension of medications, self-care, instructions, follow-up plans, and many other issues that directly impact their health and wellbeing.

The barriers that hinder health literacy can be mitigated by addressing communication challenges that impede literacy. In reducing barriers to health literacy, it is critical to understand the thematic areas such as access to health care, knowledge about medication, and related issues and behavior of both the patient. Therefore, ways to reduce barriers to health must address the key mentioned areas (Lynch et al., 2019)

In addressing barriers to health care access, it is essential to put in place a support system to enable and enhance health care. Such methods may include public sanitizations by the health care practitioners through conducting health education seminars and campaigns to the public about accessing healthcare and, further, introducing transportation systems for emergency health cases like ambulances services within their reach (Butkus et al., 2020). The people can also be sensitized on the issues of scheduling appointments with healthcare providers and addressing the matters about healthcare financing institutions providing insurance services. The availability of such health infrastructures enhances access to healthcare and reduces the barriers that impede access to healthcare (Butkus et al., 2020).

Reducing barriers to health care knowledge can be mitigated by how the health care providers communicate to the patient. The communication needs to be simple, plain language, and specific to the key points the patient needs to know and understand. Further, the physician needs to apply models or draw pictures to illustrate and demonstrate the aspects of the information to enhance comprehension. Moreover, repeating or summarizing key points and confirming understanding from the patient by applying the teach-back method could improve and enhance knowledge. Similarly, the health care providers must be positive, providing hope and empowering the patient (Nutbeam, & Lloyd, 2020).

Studies indicate limited literacy accounts for poor medication adherence, self-care behaviors, and comprehension of health information. Therefore, health care practitioners can utilize several ways to reduce the barriers by encouraging questions from patients and, improving medication adherence and accuracy, striving to get patient feedback on their medication progress. They can do this by building community connections, utilizing technology to reach more patients, and recommending health care mobile apps to facilitate health knowledge and decision making, self-efficacy, adherence to medication instruction, self-care, and social connections (Dunn, & Hazzard, 2019).

Conclusion

Health literacy interventions combine multiple approaches, e.g., written and visual materials that are easy to read and comprehend. Video tutorials, health literacy training for physicians, and in-person patient assessments and sensitization on critical health care information are ways to accelerate and improve patients’ comprehension and reduce barriers to health literacy. Further, health care practitioners can utilize several ways to reduce the barriers by encouraging questions from patients and, improving medication adherence and accuracy, striving to get patient feedback on their medication progress.

References

Altman, M. R., Oseguera, T., McLemore, M. R., Kantrowitz-Gordon, I., Franck, L. S., & Lyndon, A. (2019). Information and power: Women of color’s experiences interacting with health care providers in pregnancy and birth. Social Science & Medicine, 238, 112491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112491

Butkus, R., Rapp, K., Cooney, T. G., Engel, L. S., & Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians (2020). Envisioning a better US health care system for all: reducing barriers to care and addressing social determinants of health. Annals of Internal Medicine, 172(2_Supplement), S50-S59. https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-2410

Dunn, P., & Hazzard, E. (2019). Technology approaches to digital health literacy. International Journal of Cardiology, 293, 294-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.06.039

Lynch, M. A. M., & Franklin, G. V. (2019). Health literacy: an intervention to improve health outcomes. In Strategies to Reduce Hospital Mortality in Lower and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and Resource-Limited Settings. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112491

Nutbeam, D., & Lloyd, J. E. (2020). Understanding and responding to health literacy as a social determinant of health. Annual Review of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090419-102529

Discussion: Health Literacy

This weeks content will focus on health literacy which is a common barrier to achieving optimal health care.
Please review the following information from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html
Evaluate these tools to discover ways that will help reduce the barriers that hinder healthcare literacy.
1. What are your initial thoughts after reviewing the AHRQ website?
2. What are some strategies you can incorporate into everyday practice to assist with health literacy?