Return-Path: <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id KAA01171; Thu, 1 Jun 2000 10:20:28 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 10:20:28 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <39366EEB.D828EDF@webster.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Jeri Levesque <levesqjr@webster.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:2413] Re: literacy/health literacy X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.51 (Macintosh; I; PPC) Status: OR Austin, There are a number of excellent resources that define literacy as it relates to health and health practices. Go to World Education for the Health & Literacy Compendium, read Rima Rudd's work published by NCSALL, download Marcia Drew Hohn's NIFL Fellowship paper on Health Literacy. These are not only informative - they're fascinating new insights about the question you've posed. But for a quick response ...Generally literacy as defined by NALS is never an all or nothing proposition. Also true in health care - it's not whether a person is dead or alive. With health literacy, the ability to make meaning from print is framed by the functions of that print. We're talking about reading medicine labels and taking medicine correctly, being compliant with health provider recommendations - verbal and print -wise. Understanding patient rights and informed consent papers before signing one's name, navigating through a medical center, taking care on one's health by responding appropriately to print and verbal communication. John D. MacDonald, a mystery writer, once wrote an essay called Reading for Survival. It was a reflective thematic piece that described the isolation of the nonreader, and ascribing that isolation to a lack of comprehension regarding the world in which he or she lives. When it comes to health literacy, that isolation from meaning is too often correlated with increased risk factors associated with mortality and morbidity. Simply put, literacy can save your life, just for the health of it. Jeri Levesque, Ed.D. Associate Professor, Webster University "Babrow, Austin" wrote: > I am new to this list and also to the study of the relationship between > literacy and health. The little I've read thus far has me a bit confused, > and I would like some clarification if it is available from readers of the > list. Do experts in this area make a distinction between literacy in > general and health literacy in particular, or are they considered > synonymous? If these two terms are distinct, what are their different > implications for health? Thanks for any information. > > Austin Babrow > Assoc. Professor > Dept. of Communication > Purdue University > W. Lafayette, IN 47907 > 765-494-8294
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