October is Health Literacy Month! During this month of awareness and education, it’s a great time to understand what health literacy is and why it is important.
The term health literacy has continued to evolve throughout the years. In general, the term consistently refers to promoting the optimal use of healthcare services by enhancing access and quality of care, which helps in improving and maintaining a healthy life. Health literacy is multi-directional and involves the skills, or lack thereof, of healthcare professionals, healthcare organizations, and the persons receiving health information and care as well as their caregivers.
Health literacy is important because at some point in our lives, we will all need to access and understand health information and health services. Addressing low health literacy should be a priority as it is associated with poor health outcomes, increased rates of hospitalization, longer hospital stays, higher costs, and lower use of preventative services.
Health Literacy Partners offers a variety of services that can be tailored to your organization’s specific needs and goals. Health literacy plays an essential role in the delivery of safe and quality health care. Let’s discuss how we can partner!