Literacy is the ability to read and write, as well as to understand what is written. In general, 99 per cent of adult Canadians are considered to be literate, but on closer examination we can see there are different levels of literacy.
About a quarter of Canadians have difficulty dealing with printed material; they are considered to have low literacy. Another 20 per cent are considered to have high literacy. Almost half, though, are somewhere in between.
Literacy can have an impact on day-to-day life. Not only do examples like reading recipes and food labels come to mind, but how would you use the internet and access today’s wide range of web services and tools?
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There is also a relatively new concept to consider. This is health literacy, and it includes not only the basic ability to read but also an understanding of health terminology and the ability to calculate proper doses. Health literacy requires the ability to understand a health condition or disease, the treatment for it, and directions and information about the prescribed medication.
Someone may be well educated, but medication labels, hospital discharge instructions, medical consent forms, and even brochures and verbal instructions can be difficult to understand.
Compounding the confusion is often the emotional impact of ill health.
Poor health literacy can result in medication errors, missed preventative health measures such as disease screenings, and misunderstandings regarding treatment options.
Some research suggests that health information should be supplied at a grade 6 to 8 literacy level. Other research recommends a grade 5 level.
Many types of health information, however, are only available at a much higher level because they include health terminology such as drug and disease names.
Obviously, good health literacy is linked to better health. The aim is to find credible information about a medical condition and its treatment and then understand the information. While the internet is teeming with health information, many sites promote the sale of health-related products and do not provide accurate information.
For internet searches, choose sites such as Health Canada, Centers for Disease Control, or ones that focus attention on one type of disease, such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s Association, Diabetes Canada, Lung Association.
Medical and pharmaceutical terminology can be difficult to understand no matter how you encounter it. Asking for a definition may be helpful. Repeating back what you think a definition or instructions may mean will help you understand in your own terms.
With medications, do read any included handouts or information, but keep in mind that every adverse effect will be listed. Ideally, you want to know how common the adverse effects are and what to do if you experience one. You also need to understand the risk versus the benefit of the treatment.
Numbers can be confusing for some people and medication doses are composed of numbers. If a disease such as diabetes is being monitored, blood glucose measurements are expressed in numbers, then treatments like insulin are dosed again in numbers, this time units of insulin.
Often measurements like mg and ml are confused; ml means millilitres or a volume, and mg means milligrams or a strength.
No one should be embarrassed about asking a second time about a procedure, a medication or even a consent form. If the answer is still confusing, ask again, paraphrasing what you think it means. If the terminology or dosing is confusing ask for another word or explanation or ask the health care provider to show you exactly to where you should fill the dropper. If you are concerned about your health literacy, have someone go with you to act as your “secretary” or to take notes. After all, it’s your health; be literate about it!
