Defined in Health People 2010 as: "The
degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate
health decisions".
Health literacy includes the ability to understand instructions on
prescription drug bottles, appointment slips, medical education brochures,
doctor's directions and consent forms, and the ability to negotiate
complex health care systems.
Health literacy is not
simply the ability to read. It requires a complex group of reading,
listening, analytical, and decision-making skills, and the ability
to apply these skills to health situations.
Health literacy
varies by context and setting and is not necessarily related to years
of education or general reading ability. A person who functions adequately
at home or work may have marginal or inadequate literacy in a health
care environment. With the move towards a more "consumer-centric" health
care system as part of an overall effort to improve the quality of
health care and to reduce health care costs, individuals need to take
an even more active role in health care related decisions. To accomplish
this people need strong health information skills.
Health Litearcy
Projects at the Center for Health Policy Missouri Health Literacy Enhancement
(MHLE) Resource Center: MU
is one of three institutions collaborating to build an infrastructure
that will become an interactive and comprehensive health literacy resource
center for the entire Missouri Foundation for Health service region.
The Center for Health Policy is currently assisting in the “Needs
Assessment Scope of Work” portion of the proposal, interviewing
key informants, practitioners, and health professional provider organizations
in Missouri.