education and health literacy Flashcards
educational attainment
- years of overall schooling a person has, rather than instruction on specific health topics
- quality of education is difficult to measure and not typically available - but equally important
- having less than a high school degree > poorest health outcomes (relationship is also on a gradient)
- people with more education are likely to live longer, to experience better health outcomes, and to practice health-promoting behaviors
observed associations between education and health
- the educational gradient is evident for all outcomes and in all race/ethnic/gender groups
- major group differences in predicted level of health problems
- adults with “some college” are similar to health outcomes to high school graduates
health benefits associated with education
enhancing cognitive skills, navigating the healthcare system, personal health behaviors, attainment of economic and social resources
impact at the individual level
- cognitive skills: problem solving ability, learned effectiveness, personal control
- non-cognitive skills: conscientiousness, openess to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability
- reading, mathematics, and science
navigating the health care system
understand - health needs
follow or read - follow or read instructions
advocate - advocate for themselves or their families
communicate - communicate effectively with their health care providers (symptoms, health history, etc.)
personal health behaviors
- adults with higher levels of education are less likely to engage in risky behaviors
- education gradient in health behaviors exist
- education offers opportunities to learn more about health and health risks
- adults with higher levels of education also tend to have lower exposure to stress related to economic deprivation, as well as more resources
education and economic resources
gaining employment, health insurance, worksite health promotion programs
education and social resources
greater social support, social networks, civic groups and organziation
impact at the community level
individuals with more education benefit from health-related characteristics of the environment in which they live, work, and study
- access to resources that are important to health is contingent on community-level resources and institutions
- social capital and collective efficacy
larger social context and social policy
- health inequities are driven by social policies
- decisions made by society, voters, and policy makers have an influence on education
- employment trends provide less opportunities for individuals
- inequality by gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability
three major pathways
health knowledge and behaviors – employment and income – social and psychological factors
health knowledge and behaviors pathway
health knowledge + literacy + coping and problem solving —>
diet, exercise, no smoking, health and disease management –>
health
employment and income pathway
work –> working conditions + work-related resources + income —
exposure to hazards, control/demand imbalance, stress
health insurance, sick leave, retirement benefits, wellness programs
housing, neighborhood environment, diet and exercise options
reverse causality and selection
poor nutrition, substance use, smoking, obesity, sleep disorders, mental health, asthma, poor vision, inattention/hyperactivity
school readiness is enhanced by:
positive early childhood conditions, fetal well being, social emotional development, family SES and neighborhood SES, early childhood education
whole school, whole community, whole child framework
a unified, collaborative approach designed to improve learning and health in our nation’s schools
social and emotional learning
self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making
recommendations
- improve health through education policies and programs
- investments to promote and increase educational attainment could have both human and economic benefits
- close the gaps in educational attainment
every student succeeds act
health education as an academic subject (separate from physical education) longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students
health literacy
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 depends on
communication skills of both patient and professional, lay and professional knowledge of health topics, culture, demands of healthcare and public health systems, demands of the sitation/context
health literacy and health outcomes
- use of preventative services
- knowledge about medical conditions and treatment
- rates of hospitalization
- health status
- healthcare costs
- stigma and shame
national assessment of adult literacy
- conducted in 2003 to assess the english literacy of adults in the U.S
- the assessment was administered to more than 19,000 adults in households or prisons
- the assessment measured literacy directly through tasks completed by adults rather than subjective evaluation such as self-report
proficient health literacy
12 %
intermediate health literacy
53%
basic health literacy
22%
below basic health literacy
14%
best practices to improve to improve health literacy
identify the intended users of the health information and services
- audience segmentation
evaluate users’ understanding before, during, and after the introduction of information and services
- invite members of the intended user group to determine what information they will need and how to use it
acknowledge cultural differences and practice respect
- accepted roles of men and women, body language
limit the number of messages, use plain language and focus on action
plain language
a strategy for making written and oral information easier to understand
- needs to be understood the first time a person reads or hears the language
- organize information so that the important points come first
- breaking complex information into understandable chunks
- using simple language and defining technical terms
- using the active voice
