Health Literacy Month
Health Literacy Month is an international observance celebrated every October with the aim of making health-related information more accessible to the public. Various organizations, including healthcare institutions, educational entities, and community groups, partake in activities designed to educate individuals about health and connect them with necessary medical services. The initiative, which originated in 1999 from the efforts of educator Helen Osborne, seeks to address widespread issues of health literacy—defined as the ability to find, understand, and utilize health information effectively. This month serves as a platform for promoting awareness about personal health literacy, which focuses on individual understanding of health information, and organizational health literacy, which emphasizes equitable access to health services.
During Health Literacy Month, a number of events and programs are organized to foster community engagement, such as public workshops, health fairs, and educational initiatives in schools and workplaces. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed a National Action Plan to improve health literacy, advocating for the right of all individuals to access understandable health information and services. By enhancing health literacy, the aim is to empower people to take charge of their health and navigate the complexities of the healthcare system more effectively.
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Health Literacy Month
Health Literacy Month is an annual international observance held in October. During this month, health care, educational, social, and political organizations strive to make information about better health more accessible to the general public. Governments, schools, consumer groups, social service groups, businesses, libraries, hospitals, clinics, and many other groups may participate, as do many interested individuals.
These people and groups may help to educate others about health or connect people in need of health care to appropriate services, with the goal of allowing all people to access the medical treatment they require. The idea for Health Literacy Month originated from the work of therapist and educator Helen Osbourne in 1999. Later, the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, or IHA, took over the planning and promotion of Health Literacy Month.
Background
Attaining and maintaining good health is one of the most important tasks of humans. Medical experts and scientists have intensively studied how people can use diet, exercise, and other means to reach their optimal health. However, in many cases, scientific information is recorded in a formal and technical manner that is difficult for average people to understand. In addition, much of this information—even knowledge that would be greatly beneficial to human wellbeing—may not be made readily available to non-academics or those not involved in research.
At the same time, medical science has brought about amazing advances in medical treatment that can effectively prevent or cure many serious illnesses, but information about these treatments may be hard to find and understand. The complexity of the health care system may also make it hard for patients to navigate toward the treatments they need to restore their health. Some people may have no idea that a treatment exists for their condition, or, if they do, they may feel that they have no chance of ever attaining that treatment.
Average people may not know about their health care options, or how to get the care they need. They may not understand the ways they can improve and protect their own health, either. Lack of information and health education has contributed to health problems for millions of people worldwide. In some cases, this has led to epidemics of ailments such as heart disease and obesity.
To address this concern, many reformers have called for increased health literacy. Health literacy refers to the ability of a person to find and fully understand important medical and health-related knowledge with reasonable ease. Many educators and others believe that health literacy is a vital skill that can help safeguard people’s health throughout their lives. People who are health literate can help themselves as well as effectively educate and assist others in approaching and handling health matters.
Around 2020, a group called Healthy People 2030 created an updated definition of the phrase health literacy. In this definition, the term is seen as having two parts. The first is personal health literacy, or the level at which people can find, comprehend, and use health-related information and services. The second part is organizational health literacy, which refers to the level to which groups allow all people to access this knowledge and use these health services in a fair manner.
Overview
The international designation of October as Health Literacy Month was established in 1999 by Helen Osborne. Osborne is an educator and occupational therapist and the founder of Health Literacy Consulting. The focus of much of her work has been in describing medical information in plain language, explanations that are easily understood by the layperson, and teaching others to do so as well. Through her consulting, Osborne has sought to show medical, educational, social, and business professionals how they can communicate about health matters in simple but accurate terms. Osborne has written several books on the topic of health literacy and the need for clear and open sharing of health knowledge.
Health Literacy Month is meant to engage societies at all levels. This includes individuals, schools, hospitals and other health care facilities, social service agencies, governments, libraries, and businesses of all kinds. Government leaders may proclaim that October is Health Literacy Month or speak about the importance of health literacy. Health care facilities may set up public workshops to explain health options and concepts. Businesses may set up training programs or host conferences on health matters. Schools may emphasize health topics or encourage students to do health-related projects. Libraries could post health information or hold fairs or programs. Companies may offer their workers wellness programs or other opportunities to focus on their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) developed a National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy in 2010 with two main principles in mind. These principles are that all people have the right to access information about their health, and that health services should be not only effective but also easily understood by all. The National Action Plan also includes seven more specific goals for health literacy at a variety of levels. These include changes in school programs that would increase the amount of practical health education in curricula at all levels, adapt health programs and education to different cultural and linguistic groups, and build partnerships between people and organizations that spread health information.
HHS promotes a range of online activities for Health Literacy Month. These include the Health Literacy Online guide (a reference source for health information) and MyHealthfinder (a resource with information specially designed for users with limited health literacy). The Healthy People 2030 group created lists of objectives for better health, both short and long term, and resources to help people set their own health goals over the decade of the 2020s. HHS also promotes the use of newsletter articles, online images, and Twitter messages that link to various health resources and spread the hashtag #HealthLiteracyMonth.
Bibliography
“About Helen.” Health Literacy Consulting, 2022, healthliteracy.com/helen-osborne/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
“Health Literacy Month.” Institute for Healthcare Advancement, 2023, www.healthliteracymonth.org/hlm/hlm-home. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
“Health Literacy Month - October 2024.” National Today, 2024, nationaltoday.com/health-literacy-month/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
“National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy.” US Department of Health and Human Services, 24 Aug. 2021, health.gov/our-work/national-health-initiatives/health-literacy/national-action-plan-improve-health-literacy. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
“October Is Health Literacy Month!” Shape America, 2024, www.shapeamerica.org/events/Health‗Literacy/health‗literacy‗month.aspx?hkey=9a91db05-e030-44b2-8539-fbc6b92ab0fd. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
“October Is Health Literacy Month!” US Department of Health and Human Services, 1 Oct. 2020, health.gov/news/202010/october-health-literacy-month. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Osborne, Helen. “October Is Health Literacy Month.”Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA), 2022, www.healthliteracysolutions.org/blogs/iha-staff1/2021/09/08/october-is-health-literacy-month. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
“Share and Interact.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Feb. 2024, www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/shareinteract/index.html. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.