Health Literacy 101

The most commonly used definition of health literacy describes the individual’s capacity to “obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.”(Healthy People 2010).

This workshop explores why the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership’s health literacy definition to include the health care providers and health care systems into the solution will increase positive patient outcomes. It is “A patient’s ability to obtain, understand and act on health information. AND The capacity of health care providers and health care systems to communicate clearly, educate about health and empower patients”.

This workshop explores the direct relationship between health literacy and understanding of:

• one’s health including chronic disease(s),
• treatment plans, medication /adherence to medication,
• preventive health services, and
• assessing risk.

Learn how applying a universal precaution approach to health literacy will benefit your practice and can be easily implemented into your daily work.