Illiteracy In Healthcare

Ever wonder why insurance premiums rise and why our healthcare system is crippling? Part of the issue is healthcare illiteracy. Consumers with poor health sometimes are seen as potential patients with a lack of knowledge, understanding and maybe even education. Our healthcare system is defined by the World Health Organization, which defines health and was actually amended in 1948 (2014). The Healthcare Policy is conclusive today and still established a template and if altered could work in todays present day and future of our country. Healthcare literacy has a major influence on health and our healthcare system. The term “health literacy” was used in 1974 (Ruth M. Parker, 2003). In a perfect world we all as consumers read things

Unfortunately, there are consumers that have limited or no reading, comprehension skills whatsoever. Sometimes illiteracy brings about shame, lack of education and even poor health. Many cannot even fill out insurance paperwork with confidence about what they are filling out is. The lack of confidence brings about doubt, an uneasiness of understanding our healthcare system. The agitation leaves the consumer vulnerable and cut off from yet another part of the world leaving a road block between the healthcare provider and consumer. Doctor Parikh, Parker, Nurss Baker and Williams believe that many patients with low literacy may not admit they have difficulty reading because of shame; more importantly they exposed that African-Americans men are more likely to have education less than a high school and be over the age of 60 years old (Williams, 1996). When the consumer is not educated this can disincentive the communication level possibly leaving the patient uninsured or underinsured. If the consumer is in good health we relate that to a level of education about healthcare. Health literacy is a very vital part of healthcare. We as health care providers are able to check what types of patients whom we are serving low levels of literacy. Having a low literacy level equates incapability’s. Increased percentages of illiteracy do have an effect on the economy. In 2003, the

Some of the organizations have seen and researched how care can be distributed and reach millions. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) says;

Their mission is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving fair access to essential care and collective defense against transnational threats

(2014). The WHO believes, that health is a human right to declare of Human Rights, and is also believed to be the reason for economic growth. The WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely absent disease or infirmity. The definition was also in the preamble of the constitution in 1948 as