Challenges and Implications of Health Literacy in Global Health Care

Perspectives on Health Literacy

Health literacy encompasses several abilities including word recognition, reading comprehension, communication skills, and conceptual knowledge (Macek et al., 2010). The components of literacy include reading, writing, verbal communication, numeracy, and conceptual knowledge (Nielsen-Bohlman, Panzer, & Kindig, 2004). Federman et al. (2009) stated that memory and verbal communication fluency are strongly associated with health literacy. Effective communication among health professions is a necessary component of health care, as no single profession can adequately respond to the complexity of health problems that patients may possess (Barr, 2002).

While health literacy is a complex concept that includes many components, print prose and print document literacy are two essential health literacy skills that help patients understand the written health information (Baker, 2006). Written health information can be found in various areas of health, and includes medical instructions, medication information, disease information, admission forms, informed consent materials, and other examples (Hadden, 2015).