Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the healthcare system? Have you ever been unsure after a visit to the doctor and not known what kind of treatment is right for you? In moments like these, it helps to have good health literacy. What that is and how you can strengthen it, you will learn in this article.
What is health literacy?
The term health literacy is probably not familiar to most people. Translated from English (health literacy), health literacy basically means the ability to find, understand, evaluate and apply health-related information. It also includes very basic skills such as reading, writing or arithmetic, in order to process complex information and thus understand, for example, treatment options or package inserts. Health literacy therefore provides information and the ability to act.
Why is health literacy important?
Our world, and with it the healthcare system, is becoming increasingly complex. There are many different approaches, such as conventional or alternative medicine, numerous treatment options and more and more medications. It is important to be sufficiently informed to be able to make the right decision for oneself and one’s own health in this confusion. Patient knowledge and health literacy are therefore important for navigating the healthcare system and restoring or promoting one’s own health. People with good health literacy go to the doctor less often, have fewer days of absence due to illness and are more likely to take advantage of preventive and early detection services. It is therefore a matter of self-determination and responsibility for one’s own well-being. For example, health literacy helps people weigh up different treatment options. If such decisions are made equally by the doctor and the patient, the two sides see eye to eye and adherence to treatment is strengthened. Consequently, low health literacy has a negative impact on health behavior and health status.
How can health literacy be strengthened?
Everyone can inform themselves about health-related topics. It is important that the sources are scientifically proven. These can be found primarily on federal websites, but also in science magazines such as Quarks. Verified information on a wide range of health topics can also be found at official health institutes such as the Robert Koch Institute. Furthermore, there are websites such as gesund-im-netz.de, which help with research on health topics. It is important to check where the information comes from and who publishes it. A look at the imprint usually helps.
You can find out more about health promotion here.
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