Literacy and health
International research has shown that patients who are better informed about their health have more effective consultations with their health care provider, are better informed about the medicines they are prescribed, are more likely to comply with their medication and as a result have improved health outcomes.
The need for research on health literacy in Ireland is highlighted in a NALA report from 2002 entitled, ‘Health Literacy, Policy and Strategy.’
This research shows that people have struggled with essential health information, consent forms, have not fully understood procedures, found signage confusing and did not feel capable of taking part in decision making. Fear is a big barrier to communication. True patient education is difficult to achieve among people with low literacy skills when there is such a reliance on the written word. This report also highlights examples of people finding it difficult and in some cases
impossible to navigate their way around the health system. This research illustrates that health literacy means more than just reading information. It involves taking part in decision making and understanding options. Patients need time to review material. Health practitioners need to understand that one leaflet cannot accommodate the whole patient population.
Important actionable suggestions from this report include:
• Irish research needs to be commissioned in areas of literacy training, communication, effects of low literacy skills on chronic illness etc…
• A specific literacy research fund should be available to health and literacy practitioners, who should be obliged to publicise findings
• Health literacy should be explored by the Health Service Executive.
• All health promotion literature should be subject to literacy proofing.
• All front line staff in hospitals and health centres should be literacy aware and be able to verbally convey information.
• Professional jargon in forms, signs and health education material must be modified.
The results of a NALA Irish survey in 2007 revealed that:
• One in five Irish people are not fully confident that they understand all of the information they receive from their healthcare professional.
• Forty three percent said they would only sometimes ask for clarification if they did not understand something their healthcare professional said to them.
• One in 10 people admitted taking the wrong dose of medication because of failure to understand instructions.
• Two-thirds of respondents also admitted to having difficulty understanding signs and directions in Irish hospitals some of the time, with one in five stating they have difficulty most of the time.
