China
Africa
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The Patient Empowerment Movement
Published in Disa Lee Choun, Anca Petre, Digital Health and Patient Data, 2023
Through the first part of this chapter, we discussed the fact that access to information empowered patients to take more control over their health. What we failed to point out however, is that access to information is not enough. Patients must make a significant effort to understand the information, adapt it to their case and draw appropriate conclusions. Whether it is online information or information provided by the medical staff, patients need to “translate” it into simple terms to fully understand it. This reminds us of some of our friends that used to record their medical appointments so we could listen and “translate” what the doctor was saying. Similar things happen with online information, despite efforts to simplify complex medical jargon. By doing the effort of adapting the medical content to their understanding, patients acquire a certain level of health literacy.
What makes an anti-racist feminist bioethics?
Published in Wendy A. Rogers, Jackie Leach Scully, Stacy M. Carter, Vikki A. Entwistle, Catherine Mills, The Routledge Handbook of Feminist Bioethics, 2022
Elsewhere in the world, arrival to refugee camps carries its own health risks. Barriers to medical care in this context include financial and language barriers, administrative problems and a lack of knowledge and understanding of one’s rights (Daynes 2016: 439). Nor are migrants and refugees whose settlement in the destination country is facilitated by government or other agencies free from these same sorts of barriers or from mental health issues caused by trauma during migration, continuing feelings of insecurity and vulnerability and/or social isolation.
Facilitating access to healthcare
Published in Miriam Orcutt, Clare Shortall, Sarah Walpole, Aula Abbara, Sylvia Garry, Rita Issa, Alimuddin Zumla, Ibrahim Abubakar, Handbook of Refugee Health, 2021
Refugee and migrant patients face a number of socio-political barriers arising from a lack of available information about public healthcare services and a lack of stable housing, language skills, prejudice and stigma. Nearly a fifth of MdM’s patients (19%) report that they did not approach public health services because of perceived barriers. The most common barriers experienced by patients who did approach healthcare services were administrative – for example a lack of proof of address or identity documents (17%), a lack of understanding of the healthcare system (9%) and language barriers (6%).
Effectiveness of the refined health literacy course on improving the health literacy competencies of undergraduate nursing students: quantitative and qualitative perspectives
Published in Medical Education Online, 2023
Mei-Chuan Chang, Jui-Hung Yu, Jyh-Gang Hsieh, Mi-Hsiu Wei, Ying-Wei Wang
Health literacy is a critical determinant of an individual’s health status [1] and a crucial issue for global health promotion [2]. United States Healthy People 2030 defines personal health literacy as ‘the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others’ [3]. Individuals with limited health literacy may face multiple challenges owing to difficulty understanding and applying health information. They may not understand their doctors’ explanations for illnesses, read drug labels and health education leaflets correctly, or know how to ask questions. All these problems could affect self-care and medical decision-making [4,5]. Regarding the issue of health literacy, the difficulty and complexity of messages in the healthcare environment in which individuals live are relevant factors [6]. To help patients with limited health literacy, healthcare professionals must communicate in plain language, confirm patients’ understanding of information, provide easy-to-read printed messages, and assist patients in medical decision-making. Therefore, developing healthcare professionals’ capabilities to follow health literacy practices is an important strategy to promote health-literate healthcare [7].
The slow medicine approach to chronic pain
Published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 2022
Patient-centered care requires the clinician to understand the whole person, which depends on effective communication. Clinician communication should be directed at: 1) eliciting and understanding patient perspectives; 2) understanding the patient within their unique psychosocial contexts; and 3) a shared understanding of patient problems so treatments are consistent with their values (Epstein RM, Street RL, 2007). Patients accustomed to decades of clinician-centered encounters may need coaching in how to taking a more active role (Epstein and Street, 2011). Being compassionate, respectful and genuine will help patients feel comfortable asking more questions, expressing concerns, and stating their preferences and opinions (Cloninger and Cloninger, 2011; Street and Haidet, 2011). Clinicians can invite patients to participate by asking questions and clarifying patient understanding (Berger and Vilaume, 2020).
Health literacy among visiting college students in the U.S.: A pilot study
Published in Journal of American College Health, 2022
Alice Noblin, Meghan Hufstader Gabriel, Kendall Cortelyou-Ward, Khristen Holmes
Factors affecting health literacy include educational level attained, race, ethnicity, age, and income.3,5 In addition to these social determinants, other factors influencing health literacy are the constant advances in health care and delivery of care, which requires the patient to have more knowledge to successfully navigate the system.2 Due to the constant changes in health care and communication methods, health literacy was identified as a major health care issue by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).6 Health literacy not only focuses on the understanding and comprehension of health care information, but it also encompasses the motivation of patients to utilize this information to improve their health.6