Midterm Reflection: Health Literacy Essay

When listening or reading to the news, it is hard to avoid a paper on the wellness financial aid crisis. It seems that every(prenominal)one has an opinion on what call for to be fixed, save there is one underlying factor in the dust that could be a key coner in the bringing of wellness bang for the future. wellness literacy has rifle an issue that is affecting every part of the system, and could be a path leading to improvements in the system (Nutbeam, 2000). After reflection the wellness literacy video exposing various Ameri empennages with low wellness literacy, I was completely shocked.I had heard of wellness literacy before, but beholding this video was really eye-opening as to the extent that peck can non notify with wellness c ar providers. I knew right away that this was a topic that I wanted to explore. When development close to wellness literacy, I found it significant to none the similarities and differences in health literacy and literacy. Literacy ca n be defined as ones ability to read, write, or get word written and mouth language in his or her native language.Health literacy is different to literacy, as it is ones ability to understand the toll of health and habituate that receiveledge within the scope of health c be (Mayer and Villaire, 2007). However, literacy plays an undeniable fictional character in health literacy, in that those that are illiterate will commence an even harder magazine when efforting to understand health terms. succession watching the movie about health literacy in class, I could not function but be disturbed when watching adults that had the literacy aims of middle school children (Kalmbach, 2003). It make me wonder how many people are illiterate in the country, and how this is playing a role in health bursting charge.The National Assessment of boastful Literacy (NAAL) offers extensive information on past studies done on adults for literacy. A study conducted in 2003 showed that thirty c ardinal adults (about fourteen percent) had literacy levels below basic, which includes simple, nominal skills. In addition, sixty-three million, or twenty-nine percent of adults, had a literacy level of basic, which means that simple, everyday skills are met, but nothing beyond that. discerning this, it is clear that there is a problem in America with literacy in adults.With adults that cannot meet even intermediate literacy skills, that means that over 100 million adults are health illiterate because people that are illiterate lean to also be health illiterate (National Assessment, 2003). Some of these adults whitethorn have health care plans, and their lack of literacy may be preventing them from judgment those plans and savvy the services with which they are provided through those plans. Because there is correlation with literacy and socio-economic class, I believe that there of necessity to be more emphasis trust on educating those that have not been properly modernised (Mayer and Villaire, 2007).Healthy plenty 2020 has a great system for approaching this goal in terms of health literacy, but more promotion of this movement is critical ( disciplineal and Community-Based, 2011). In the movie, Mr. Brown reads at the fourth-grade level. Due to this low literacy level, he says that he does not like going to the doctor because of the amount of paperwork he needs to fill out. Even being someone that can read at a proficient level, I can agree with Mr. Brown that pickaxe out paperwork at a doctors office can be stressful.There are many abbreviations and words that relate to health care that I simply do not know. However, because of my literacy level, I am able to overcome some of these problems and figure out what the form is asking. It concerns me that people of a low literacy level such as Mr. Browns would not be able to do this problem-solving successfully (Kalmbach, 2003). There is no doubt that this can lead to medical miscommunications between t he patient and the doctor in regards to billing, medical background information, and future diagnoses and prescriptions.These miscommunications can be expensive for insurers, those paying out-of-pocket, and the physicians (Mayer and Villaire, 2007). As a college student, I still have a good deal to bring about livelihood independently without the help of my parents. After learning about health literacy, I feel that I need to amend myself and become more health literate. Because I am a biology major, and I am interested in science, I do try to communicate well and fully understand what my doctor is telling me, but I do not always ask all of the questions necessitate to improve my health literacy.For example, when I am prescribed a medication, I normally take it without knowing why I am victorious that specific dosage, what it will do for me, what side-effects it may cause, etc. Those are questions that I, and others that go to a physician, should be asking. College students a re in the years where they prepare for living on our own. Part of that preparation should be becoming more health literate in order to make the best decisions regarding health care options in the present and future. In a study of college students, 21.7% of the students could not appropriately take a medication four times throughout one day, and 41. 4% would not figure out support for primary winding care when taking family size and income into consideration. Since these are issues that may be in the near future for college students, this implies that something needs to be done to better educate students. Melinda Ickes and Randall Cottrell (2010) say that a possible solution to improving health literacy would be to offer consumer health courses.I believe that this could be an option, but there needs to be a great incentive, or it must be mandatory for students to take these courses with the combination of a busy course alloy and students simply not knowing their health literacy le vels, many students may not enroll. One growing issue with health literacy that I queue up passing interesting is the effect that the net income has played in health care over the past couple decades (Ickes and Cottrell, 2010). As more information about health care is available on the Internet, many people find it more convenient to self-diagnose themselves instead of making the trip to the doctor.I know that when I have a health problem, one of the first things that I do is look it up on a website such as WebMD. While some people, like myself, know that this is not sufficient information, others that are not as health literate may not understand that the most reliable source is a face-to-face interaction with a physician. When a doctor visit becomes necessary, doctors may then have the tax of re-teaching the medical information if a person relied heavily on the harm information from the Internet.This is not just a problem locally or nationally. The Internet is worldwide, so th is problem of becoming Internet-dependent for health care may be affecting orbicular health literacy and therefore the quality of global health care. Though those that do not have glide path to health insurance and cannot see a physician may find this to be easy access at the fingertips, proper health literacy is needed to be the information in a way that is safe (Lancellotti-Young and Suk, n. d. ).Because I want to be a genetic counselor, health literacy will definitely play a major role in my future come. Genetic counselors are responsible for doing genetic tests, interpreting those tests, and communicating results with patients effectively. Having a good understanding of the health literacy of my patients will be critical when advising them to make safe decisions for their health and the health of their future children. Especially in regard to sex education and prevention, health literacy is a problem that needs to be addressed in a major way.With more understanding of the be nefits and results of genetic testing and antepartum care, patients may be able to make adjustments related to health and financing health care (Health Literacy, 2010). In my practice, I would highly judge health literacy and make an effort to incorporate health literacy education into my practice as much as possible. Health literacy is a growing topic in health care, as it should be. Someone that can effectively communicate with a physician well may be saving time and money for themselves, the physician, and the insurance provider.However, many adults that are responsible for their own health care are not health-literate on a proficient level. While current news has put emphasis on many aspects of health care such as financing and access, health literacy should be emphatic more, especially because it could potentially benefit those financing and access issues (Nutbeam 2000). Watching the health literacy video gave me a perspective on health care that I did not have before.Not onl y did I begin to learn of this issue on a national level, but I realise that I need to educate myself so that I can become more health literate to be a better indorser to the health care system. Health literacy follows each person that interacts with the health care system, whether he or she is a receiver or provider of that care. Resources educational and Community-Based Programs. (2011). Retrieved from http//www. healthypeople. gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview. aspx? topicid=11 Health Literacy. (2010). Genetic Counseling Cultural Competence Toolkit.Retrieved October 27, 2011, from http//www. geneticcounselingtoolkit. com/cases/resources_referral/rrf7. htm Ickes, M. J. , & Cottrell, R. (2010). Health literacy in college students. Journal of American College Health, 58(5), 491-498. Kalmbach, Lewis (Producer). (2003). Health Literacy Video Motion Picture. United States Kalmbach Advertising. Lancellotti-Young, C. , & Suk, D. (n. d. ). Online access to health information The In ternets impact on the patient-physician relationship. Internet and Social Change. Retrieved October 27, 2011, from.