From Executive Director Dan O'Leary

How’s your literacy level? If you’re reading this then, thankfully, it’s good! But, how’s your health literacy? Health literacy refers to the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Health literacy can be a contributing factor to healthy aging and overall wellness.

According to research from the U.S. Department of Education, only 12 percent of English-speaking adults in our country have proficient health literacy skills. Most adults have a difficult time understanding and using everyday health information that comes from many sources like media, health care professionals, health web sites, and nutrition or medical labels. Without clear information, people are more likely to skip medical tests, end up in the emergency room, or struggle to manage chronic diseases.

To help make health information and services easier to understand and use, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) recently released The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. The plan calls for simplifying what can be confusing language that is often found in patient handouts, medical forms, health web sites, and nutrition and medicine labels.

MVES is playing its part in contributing to health literacy. We support the plan’s basic principles that state that, first, everyone has the right to health information that helps them make informed decisions and, second, health services should be delivered in ways that are understandable and beneficial to health, longevity, and quality of life. Our staff strives to provide information to our clients and their families that is easy-to-understand and culturally and linguistically appropriate.

From our information and referral team, care managers, and nurses, to our SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders) counselors, our staff and volunteers aim to provide everyone with access to accurate and actionable health information, deliver person-centered health information and services, and support lifelong learning and skills to promote good health.

The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy is only the beginning of a long-term process that, with the help of partnering organizations like MVES, will hopefully result in a society that encourages people to live longer, healthier lives.

To learn more about the HSS’ National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, visit http://www.health.gov/communication/HLActionPlan (opens new window) .