
What Exactly is Health Literacy?
The health literacy definition is simply the degree to which people have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services that are needed to make the right health decisions. There are four different levels of health literacy.
If a person doesn’t understand basic information about his or her health medical facilities usually have a caseworker on staff to help educate patients. Knowing the health literacy definition will help a person make sound decisions when it comes to their long-term health goals.
The four levels of health literacy are as follows, below basic, basic, intermediate, and proficient. Below basic would be where the person can read and follow basic instructions. Basic literacy would be where a person can read a pamphlet and comprehend the implications of why the individuals need to be tested for signs and symptoms of a disease.
Intermediate would be where the individual can read the instructions on prescriptions, discharge summaries, and so forth and understand why these instructions are important to follow and that if they can not be followed the physician will need to be notified as to why. Last but not least is proficient, this is where the person can read …