Importance
of Health Literacy
What
is it?
Health literacy is the
degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate
health decisions. Schools and the education system have an important
role in developing critical health literacy allow for a sense of autonomy and personal
empowerment when looking for help. Health literacy entails the ability to make
sound health decisions in the context of everyday life. This includes; at home,
in the community, at school, at the workplace, in the health care system, in
the market place and in the political arena. It is a critical empowerment
strategy to increase people’s control over their health, their ability to seek
out information and to take responsibility.
Health Literacy skills needed for young people.
-Life Skills: Health skills are tied in with life skills. Everyday
young people are faced by influences from media, consumer and financial
literacy, digital literacy and health and environmental literacy. These separate
entities are needed to be incorporated into the education curriculum to inform
students how to make better decisions over their health.
-Making choices: Many decisions are made on a daily basis around
health. As young people many of their health decisions are based around their
actions in everyday life and the norms constructed within their own family or
social context.
-Supportive environments: Creating supportive policies to allow individuals
to increase their knowledge and skills within a supportive environment to make
healthy decisions. Individuals should not just rely on the health care system.
-Schools: Education
allows young people to develop life skills, criteria for judgment and choice
and offer supportive and safe environments that make the healthier choice the easier
choice. This environment also allows students to realise the importance of
health literacy to lowering and overcoming inequities in regards to their own
health.
-Empowerment: It is empowerment that supports children to become engaged
citizens and critical consumers who act not only as individuals but who engage jointly
for common rights, access and safety. Ensuring that health literacy is more
than relying on the health sector to improve health it is an individual responsibility.
References:
Leger, L, 2001. Schools, health literacy and public health: possibilities and challenges
Health Promotion. Int. 2001 16: 197-205.
Health Promotion. Int. 2001 16: 197-205.
Centre for Health Promotion Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service South Australian website accessed 30/04/13
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
website accessed 31/04/13
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