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| Source: ncmedicaljournal.com |
The conclusion of this review article in the Annals of Internal Medicine should come as no surprise.
Approximately 80 million Americans have limited health literacy, which puts them at greater risk for poorer access to care and poorer health outcomes. Health literacy includes the ability to understand instructions on prescription drug bottles, appointment slips, medical education brochures, doctor's directions and consent forms, and the ability to negotiate complex health care system. For a more comprehensive definition click here.
A systematic review was performed on all English language articles on health literacy and relationship to poorer use of health care, outcomes, costs, and disparities in health outcomes. Ninety-six relevant good- or fair-quality studies in 111 articles were identified: 98 articles on health literacy, 22 on numeracy, and 9 on both.
Low health literacy was consistently associated with more hospitalizations; greater use of emergency care; lower receipt of mammography screening and influenza vaccine; poorer ability to demonstrate taking medications appropriately; poorer ability to interpret labels and health messages; and, among elderly persons, poorer overall health status and higher mortality rates.
Low health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes and sub-optimal use of health care services.
The same can be said of being uninsured.
