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ursangnomeReference: America's Health Literacy: Why We Need Accessible Health Information from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Some of the data dates to 2003, but somehow I don't expect them to have dramatically improved in the intervening time....
Given the following descriptions of health literacy:
Proficient - Using a table, calculate an employee's share of health insurance costs for a year.
Intermediate - Read instructions on a prescription label, and determine what time a person can take the medication.
Basic - Read a pamphlet, and give two reasons a person with no symptoms should be tested for a disease.
Below Basic - Read a set of short instructions, and identify what is permissible to drink before a medical test.
12% of Americans are Proficient
53% of Americans have Intermediate proficiency
21% of Americans have Basic Proficiency
14% of Americans have Below Basic Proficiency
Which means that for over a third of Americans, you cannot expect them to be able to read and understand instructions on a prescription label!
Given the following descriptions of health literacy:
Proficient - Using a table, calculate an employee's share of health insurance costs for a year.
Intermediate - Read instructions on a prescription label, and determine what time a person can take the medication.
Basic - Read a pamphlet, and give two reasons a person with no symptoms should be tested for a disease.
Below Basic - Read a set of short instructions, and identify what is permissible to drink before a medical test.
12% of Americans are Proficient
53% of Americans have Intermediate proficiency
21% of Americans have Basic Proficiency
14% of Americans have Below Basic Proficiency
Which means that for over a third of Americans, you cannot expect them to be able to read and understand instructions on a prescription label!
