Nursing

The NSH subject guide on Patient Education via the NSH Library Services

The NSH subject guide on Patient Education Pamphlets - Print Code Index via the NSH Library Services

Health literacy is defined by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as: the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions. Increasing health literacy is essential to empowering people to manage their health and advocate for their family’s and their own wellbeing, as well as reducing the burden on Canada’s health care system.

Taking care of our health is part of everyday life, not just when we visit a doctor, clinic, or hospital. Health literacy can help us prevent health problems, protect our health, and better manage health problems when they arise.

An introduction to health literacy from the National Library of Medicine.

The United Nations ECOSOC Ministerial Declaration of 2009 provided a clear mandate for action: “We stress that health literacy is an important factor in ensuring significant health outcomes and in this regard, call for the development of appropriate action plans to promote health literacy.” Indeed, knowledge and understanding remain powerful tools in health promotion.

It can be hard to keep track of medicines. A My Medicines List can remind you when, how, and how much medicine to take. Here are step-by-step instructions to create a My Medicines List for yourself, a family member, a friend, or anyone you take care of.