This will sound somewhat facetious - but basically I give them the standard definition and if they either don't understand or do not think it is of any widespread importance, then I ask them a question like this:

 

If your doctor says to take your medicine 3 times a day, should you take it 3 times in a 24 hour day or 3 times during the 8 hours you're awake? 

 

Or

 

If you have a blood test scheduled and the doctor's office says don't eat anything beforehand, should you take your thyroid medicine that you usually take every morning when you get up?

 

Either question, depending on the audience tends to at least explain the possibilities of misinformation due to health literacy.

 

Jan Potter, MSTC

Communications Specialist

Partnership for Health and Accountability

770-249-4549

www.gha.org/pha 

 

"Homework: Find the value of n such that n plus everything else in your life makes you feel all right. What would n equal? Solve for n."

 

Peter Cameron

 

 

This Email is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521 and may be legally privileged. The information contained in this Email is intended only for use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, please destroy the email after advising by reply that you erroneously received this.  If applicable, the receipt by anyone other than the designated recipient does not waive the attorney-client privilege, nor will it constitute a waiver of the work-product doctrine. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message and notify us via e-mail to (PHA at gha.org)

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Julie McKinney

Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:43 PM

To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov

Subject: [HealthLiteracy 2408] Wednesday Question: How do you describe"Health Literacy" to friends?

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I know we have discussed the official definition of health literacy

quite a bit. But I am curious about another, more informal kind of

description of HL. When you describe your work in health literacy to

friends and colleagues who are not familiar with the term, how do you

describe to them what health literacy is or means?

 

Personally, I find that an easy description does not come easily!

 

Thanks all,

Julie

 

Julie McKinney

Health Literacy List Moderator

World Education

jmckinney at worlded.org

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