Health Impact

"According to the American Medical Association, poor health literacy is \"a stronger predictor of a person's health than age, income, employment status, education level, and race.\" In Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, the Institute of Medicine reports that ninety million people in the United States, nearly half the population, have difficulty understanding and using health information. As a result, patients often take medicines on erratic schedules, miss follow-up appointments, and do not understand instructions like \"take on an empty stomach.\" Vulnerable populations include elderly people, minority populations, immigrant populations, low-income people, and people with chronic mental and/or physical health conditions. Reasons for limited literacy skills include lack of educational opportunity, learning disabilities, cognitive declines in older adults, and reduced reading practice. Literacy impacts health knowledge, health status, and access to health services. People with low functional literacy have less ability to care for chronic conditions and use more health care services. Nearly 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty using the everyday health information that is routinely available in health care facilities, retail outlets, media, and communities. Without clear information and an understanding of its importance, people are more likely to skip necessary medical tests, end up in the emergency room more often, and have a harder time managing chronic diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure. People of all ages, races, incomes, and education levels can find it difficult to obtain, communicate, process, and understand health information and services."