Health literacy

Health literacy explained

Health literacy is the foundation for consumer and whānau engagement. It is being able to obtain, understand and use basic health information to navigate health services and make appropriate health decisions. The health care professional is responsible for presenting health information in a way that a person can understand. Health literate organisations ‘make it easier for people to navigate, understand, and use information and services to take care of their health’ (Brach et al 2012).

Related resources

• Publication: Three steps to meeting health literacy needs | Ngā toru hīkoi e mōhiotia ai te hauora
• Ministry of Health’s Framework for Health Literacy
• The Let's talk gout video from He Ako Hiranga shows a simulated discussion between a prescriber and a patient to demonstrate the use of the three-step ‘Ask, Build, Check’ health literacy model. The purpose is to show how the model can be incorporated into discussions about the long-term management of gout to help improve outcomes.
• In Episode Three: Let’s talk gout (part 1), listen to three experts discuss attitudes towards gout and how to communicate better with patients to find out what they already know about their gout to help improve their outcomes.

Reference

Brach C, Keller D, Hernandez LM, et al. 2012. Ten Attributes of Health Literate Health Care Organizations. Institute of Medicine. URL: gahealthliteracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/BPH_Ten_HLit_Attributes.pdf