Health literacy can be defined 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 Care

Health Literacy: What Is It and Why It Matters

April 19, 2017

My recent post (“Your Money … and Your Life”) described some of the decisions facing individuals in making health insurance and health care purchasing decisions. The choices described in that blog post were, generally, decisions that individuals make once per year – such as what type of health insurance coverage to buy (e.g., HMO, PPO, high deductible plan) or whether to open an HSA.

However, the choices described in that post are really part of a larger story – the need for consumers to become their own “patient advocates” –for you, the consumer, to acquire sufficient health literacy to properly participate in your health care, to actively use that health literacy to navigate through our complex medical system, and to advocate for yourself within the health care system. And you need to do this because, at the end of the day, no one else will do it for you.

Health literacy can be defined 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.” We are in an era where we need to increase our health literacy. After all, in interacting with the health care system we may be asked to fill out complex forms, provide accurate descriptions of family medical histories and current symptoms, interpret written and verbal instructions from health care providers, and elicit enough information to determine if we want to consent to a particular test or treatment. And, we need to do this in an unfamiliar language (medical jargon) and at a time of stress (while ill or injured) that erodes our ability to understand, process and decide.

This is a widespread problem. In looking at the issue of health literacy The National Academy of Sciences has estimated that almost 50% of the U.S. adult population has difficulty understanding or using information provided in complicated materials. In other words, it is likely that half of the adult population has difficulty understanding or using health information.

In some ways, the need for increased health literacy parallels other demands placed on individuals, such as the need for increased financial literacy to manage our 401(k) plans and the need for increased computer literacy to operate our increasingly smart devices. Unfortunately, the need for greater health literacy is acute (yes, one of those medical terms) – these can be life-or-death decisions and they are often made during interactions with authoritative sounding professionals, when the shame of not understanding can discourage dialogue.

There is no quick fix to this challenge. Perhaps the most important step is to acknowledge the difficulty of understanding medical information and to be persistent in asking questions until you understand your medical professional. That may not sound like much, but for many it would be a large step in the right direction.

Staying on top of rapidly changing developments

Online documentation database, document management system concept background on virtual screen.

Birds of a Feather?

The DOL has issued new guidance narrowing the circumstances under which a group of unrelated employers can come together and create a group health care plan.

ERISA, Health Care, Multiple Employer Plans
Employee Benefits in the Laboratory

The New Federalism: Employee Benefits in the Laboratory

The past year has seen a number of articles describing new state laws covering a range of benefits-related areas. Examples include New York State’s new paid leave act and Nevada’s law regulating fiduciary behavior. And more such laws are around the corner – a recent Kaiser Health News article noted that at least nine states […]

Health Care, Legislation, Paid Leave
Healthcare Wars Middle

Healthcare Wars: Employers Caught in the Middle

As the political battles – and stalemate – over the Affordable Care Act continues, employers may find themselves with the worst of all worlds. The portions of the ACA that create the greatest burdens on employers, such as the mandates, taxes and administrative obligations under the ACA stay in place. At the same time, uncertainty in the individual markets creates blowback that hurts employers in a number of ways.

ACA, Health Care, Health Care Costs