Health literacy refers to a person’s ability to understand basic information surrounding their physical and mental well-being. Your competency to follow and understand healthcare instructions treatment plans is also informed by your level of knowledge.
These days, many factors are stunting people’s health literacy. For example, the pandemic has been cited as a reason for levels of understanding to falter somewhat. Others may place all their faith in their healthcare professionals and thus refuse to further understand their own general health.
However, it is vital to improving your health literacy at every opportunity. Your ability to perform at-home procedures may also be affected. The more you understand your health, the better you shall be able to preserve it.
Keep reading after the jump for some tips on improving your health literacy.
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Make the Most of Consultations
The dialogue between you and healthcare professionals is often a crucial learning experience. You need to make sure you use your appointments as productively as possible.
You can make the most of your consultations with a healthcare professional by:
- Asking them to rephrase things – If the expert is using too much jargon for your liking, you can request that they speak in simpler terms.
- Bring a loved one – If you have difficulty understanding certain concepts or feel overwhelmed during the consultation, a loved one may be able to support you and field questions later.
- Record the exchange – Write some notes or record the conversation. You can refer back to it later if you forget pieces of advice or treatment guidelines.
- Ask questions – Push the consultation to its conversational limits. Your healthcare professional will also appreciate your questions and do their best to answer them.
Try to view consultations with a medical professional as opportunities. The information you can receive can bring you peace of mind, hope, and a sense of direction.
Pick Up Literature
When you visit a medical professional, their premises may be filled with healthcare literature. Leaflets, brochures, booklets, posters – you may be able to find them all onsite.
Try to take some of these materials if possible. If it is unclear whether they are freely available, ask admin staff if you are permitted to take some when you leave. Remember, they are still worth reading if you cannot bring them home, so consider reading some of the literature while sitting in the waiting room.
Often, this literature does not require heavy reading. Charts, images, diagrams often feature inside. Look through any information that pertains to you, and be open to a learning experience.
Refer to Government Resources
You must consult reliable resources if you are going to research matters around healthcare. That way, you can ensure you are avoiding all the misinformation that is rampantly circulating.
The government constantly update their web domains with the latest coronavirus guidance and developments. They will also provide links to accredited institutions and cite all of their claims with accurate data. You can be certain that you are engaging with trustworthy and informative materials here.
If you wish to expand your reading further, you can ask medical professionals you encounter what resources they would recommend. Make a list and follow through on their suggestions. They may be able to refer you to some more obscure but equally insightful websites, social media pages, and online journals.
Approach Thorough Healthcare Experts
The best types of healthcare professionals will be meticulous in their roles. They will go above and beyond in their duty of care.
In addition to providing a full-body scan, Ezra also takes the time to walk you through your results at your own pace. Moreover, their 5-minute quiz can help you better understand your risk for cancer as well. Ezra has also published their member’s stories on their website, which could enlighten you further on the type of quality service you can expect.
Remember that healthcare professionals can vary in expertise and that they are not all the same. Approach those who spend extra time with those in their care. That way, you can be certain that you will receive treatment and further insights into your general health.
Get the Basics Down
Much about health literacy is somewhat basic. Once you have the fundamentals down, more doors to better well-being open up to you.
If you need to look after yourself at home, things like measurements and label instructions must be understood clearly. It may seem like an elementary point, but if your math skills are somewhat rusty, it may be a good idea to polish them up a bit. Basic addition, subtraction, and multiplication skills will ensure you do not consume more or less medicine than you require. You may need to become more accustomed to reading fine writing on the labels as well.
Revisiting your insurance plans may also be worthwhile. What are you covered for? Can you afford better coverage? Try not to presume the answers to these questions and shop around. Perhaps your employer has a better plan available, or can you be persuaded into introducing one? Be proactive.
