Health literacy is considered to be a matrix of cognitive abilities comprised of four competency areas which include accessing, understanding, judging and applying information related to health. Each of these proficiencies is framed within three domains of health that characterize both individual and societal level interactions within the health system. These are healthcare, disease prevention ...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which functional, interactive and critical health literacy are associated with patients' perceived control over care and frequency of GP visits. METHODS Data from the Dutch 'National Panel of People with Chronic Illness or Disability' was used (N=2508). Health literacy was assessed by the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health...

Health literacy has been put forward as a potential mechanism explaining the well-documented relationship between education and health. However, little empirical research has been undertaken to explore this hypothesis. The present study aims to study whether health literacy could be a pathway by which level of education affects health status. Health literacy was measured by the Health Activitie...

This article delineates specific issues relating to health literacy for Indigenous Australians. Drawing on the extensive experience of the authors' work with Yolnu people (of north-east Arnhem Land) and using one model for health literacy described in the international literature, various components of health literacy are explored, including fundamental literacy, scientific literacy, community ...

The effective practice of evidence-based medicine requires the application of ‘current best evidence’ to individual patient care.1 While there is consensus that it is critical to include patients’ individual preferences in medical decision-making,1–4 the best way to involve patients in the process is unclear. Patient preferences may be dictated by specifi c circumstances, such as age, as well a...

BACKGROUND eHealth literacy is gaining importance for maintaining and promoting health. Studies have found that individuals with high eHealth literacy are more likely to adopt healthy eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. In addition, previous studies have shown that various individual factors (eg, frequency of seeking information on health issues, degree of health concern, frequency of eating...

Background and Objective Hypertension is considered an important public health problem in developed and developing countries. This disease is closely associated with the quality of life of patients, and it seems that health literacy plays a role in this regard. Due to lack of information on the role of health literacy on the quality of life in patients with hypertension, this study has aimed to...

Low health literacy affects nearly half of the U.S. population. Health care professionals may not recognize low health literacy in their patients nor understand its impact on health outcomes. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe nurses' knowledge and perceptions of low health literacy on patients, their practice, and the health system. This cross-sectional, descriptive study used a w...

BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Today's complex healthcare system relies heavily on sophisticated self-care regimens. To navigate the system and follow self-care protocols, patients must be able to understand and use health information, which requires health literacy. However, nearly 90 million Americans lack the necessary health literacy skills to adequately care for themselves in the face o...

Health care providers, including medical residents, often lack adequate knowledge and skills to work effectively with patients who have limited health literacy. Little is known about the degree to which medical residents are trained to communicate effectively with people who have limited health literacy. This study aimed to assess the status of health literacy training for physicians in U.S. fa...