Oral Health Literacy 

            Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions (Healthy People 2010).  Health literacy encompasses the skills of reading, writing, mathematics, listening, and speaking and relies on cultural, conceptual knowledge.  Health literacy includes the ability to understand instructions on prescription drug bottles, appointment slips, medical education brochures, doctor’s directions, food labels and consent forms and the ability to negotiate complex health-care systems. Not simply the ability to read, health literacy requires reading, listening, analytical and decision-making skills, and the ability to apply these skills to health situations.

            For more than a decade, the medical community has been discussing limited health literacy, including intervention strategies and the role of patient-provider communication on health outcomes. Oral health professionals, for the most part, have had limited involvement in the health literacy arena, focusing largely on health education and health promotion. While these are noble efforts, they are likely inadequate to reach certain populations. Demonstrable improvements in oral health literacy will require dental professionals to go beyond individual health educational and promotional strategies and address the shared function of social and individual factors related to oral health literacy and risk communication. Targeted interventions and advocacy also need to occur with the educational, oral health care and cultural/social systems to maximize the desired benefits of improving oral health literacy. Equally important are the communication skills of the professionals with whom patients and potential patients interact regarding oral health, as well as the ability of the media, marketplace and others to provide health information in a manner responsive to the public's needs. (http://apha.confex.com/apha/135am/techprogram/meeting.htm)

            In order for people to enjoy overall health and well being, they must be convinced that oral health is an important part of their overall health. (Oral Health Plan for New York State, NYSDOH, August 2005)  People with limited health literacy have less knowledge of disease management, report poorer health status and are less likely to seek preventative services.    The problem is pervasive—affecting approximately one-half of the people living in the United States.  Poor health literacy costs the nation as much as $58 billion dollars per year.  (Institute of Medicine, Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, April 2004).  The barriers posed by low health literacy in today’s modern health care delivery system are often seemingly insurmountable obstacles.  Education of patients is secondary to the need for the realization by the health care provider that the basic instructions that may be provided are beyond the scope of comprehension for the patient or caregiver. (Virtual Mentor. June 2001, Volume 3, Number 6)

The significance of health literacy and its repercussions has today’s health care industry looking to user-friendly approaches such as implementing plain language and simplifying forms to enhance the understanding and ease of use for those seeking medical prevention and attention.  Implementing plain language for patient/provider use and comprehension in conjunction with cultural consciousness may ensure that health-related information and services can be more readily understood and utilized by all Americans.   These improvements, in turn, will affect people’s ability to successfully navigate the healthcare system, including filling out complex forms and locating providers and services; share personal information, such as health history, with providers; engage in self-care and chronic-disease management; and understand mathematical concepts such as probability and risk. (www.health.gov)  By proactively seeking to understand the obstacles, problem-solve at a lay-person level, and implementing revised tools for healthcare consumers, health literacy should improve  with the  increased accessibility of health services within the population.

            The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has made health literacy part of “Healthy People 2010,” its list of national health objectives. In a statement on the issue, former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said, “Health literacy can save lives, money and improve the health of millions of Americans.”  (http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/05/19/three-little-questions-can-help-address-health-car/)