What have you heard about health literacy?
Health Literacy is a way of describing the skills we need to look after our health. It plays an important role in how we are able to understand and act on health information. Low health literacy can affect anyone and many people find health information difficult or confusing. Pfizer has taken an important role in promoting clear health communication.
We support healthcare professionals and patients with resources and tools to encourage better health conversations that may help improve outcomes for patients.
What people learn about health information may be incomplete and often becomes outdated.7
Nearly 9 out of 10 adults may not have received the health literacy tools needed to manage their health.
What is my main health problem?
What do I need to do?
Why is it important for me to do this?
If the doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other member of the healthcare team says something you do not understand––let them know!
Take the first step with this article on getting to know your healthcare team
Speak in plain language and avoid technical terms
Focus on key information needed for the visit
Let the most important points come first
Ask open-ended questions
Encourage patients to write down their questions before their appointments
Make information relevant to the patient’s culture
Use language services for those who don’t speak
English as their main language
Work together with patients to set goals and make shared decisions
Suggest patients bring a trusted person to appointments, such as a close friend or family member17
Distribute plain-language educational materials and connect patients with supportive resources such as advocacy groups
Ask patients to share information learned or plans made by teaching them back to you
SOURCES
1https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/learn/Understanding.html
2www.health.gov/communication/literacy/powerpoint/default.htm
3www.health.gov/communication/about.asp
4www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/7gchp/track2/en/
5www.health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/Quickguide.pdf
6www.health.gov/communication/literacy/issuebrief/
7https://health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/factsbasic.htm
8Apter, A. J. 2013. Numeracy in health care: A clinician’s perspective. Presentation at the Institute of Medicine Workshopon Health Literacy and Numeracy, Washington, DC, July 18.
9www.nap.edu/read/11623/chapter/2#7
10www.ahrq.gov/professionals/education/curriculum-tools/shareddecisionmaking/tools/tool-4/index.html
11www.pfizer.com/health/literacy/patients-and-families/what-can-patients-families-do/what-can-you-do
12www.npsf.org/page/askme3
13www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/ask-your-doctor/index.html
14https://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/improving_health_literacy.pdf
15Komondor K. 5 things for health providers-Health literacy journey at St. Vincent Medical Center; Powerpoint presentation,Institute of Medicine Workshop on Organizational Change to Improve Health Literacy; Washington, DC. April 11.2013
16www.health.gov/communication/interactiveHLCM/
17https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1104329