INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH INFORMATICS AND HEALTH TECHNOLOGY AND INTRODUCTION TO READING RESEARCH LITERATURE FOR EBP

Question 1

what is health literacy and why is it important

Answer 1

Health literacy is about how people understand information about health and health care, and how they apply that information to their lives, use it to make decisions and act on it. Health literacy is important because it shapes people’s health and the safety and quality of health care.

People with lower health literacy have poorer health outcomes, poorer understanding of interventions/treatments and increased hospital readmissions .

Question 2

individual health literacy

Answer 2

Individual health literacy—is the ability to find, understand and use health information; For example, to complete health care forms or understand and use the health care system.

Question 3

health literacy environments

Answer 3

The health literacy environment—these are the health system-based elements, such as policies, processes, and materials, which affect the way the individual engages with the health system (ACSQHC 2014a).