Health Literacy

Health literacy is the set of skills an individual must possess to be functional in a health care environment. While it includes basic skills such as reading and writing, the most important aspect is the ability to understand information and have the capacity to act on acquired knowledge to make rational health decisions. Health literacy is affected by several factors; socio-economic status, education level and language differences, but emotional and physical states, such as being ill or anxious about a medical encounter, can also impact a person's ability to process and retain health information. This means virtually everybody is at risk for low/limited health literacy. Therefore, health care organizations and professionals have the duty to accommodate varying levels of health literacy and attempt to make the health care experience as user-friendly as possible. The most efficient way to accomplish this is to utilize Health Literacy Universal Precautions (HLUP). HLUP involves assuming that everyone may have difficulty with health information, simplifying communication, empowering patients and providing them with additional support as needed.