Health literacy and health communication
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Health communication consists of interpersonal or mass communication activities focused on improving the health of individuals and populations. Skills in understanding and applying information about health issues are critical to this process and may have a substa...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2010-11-01
|
| Series: | BioPsychoSocial Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://www.bpsmedicine.com/content/4/1/18 |
| _version_ | 1811319932839788544 |
|---|---|
| author | Kiuchi Takahiro Ishikawa Hirono |
| author_facet | Kiuchi Takahiro Ishikawa Hirono |
| author_sort | Kiuchi Takahiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Health communication consists of interpersonal or mass communication activities focused on improving the health of individuals and populations. Skills in understanding and applying information about health issues are critical to this process and may have a substantial impact on health behaviors and health outcomes. These skills have recently been conceptualized in terms of health literacy (HL). This article introduces current concepts and measurements of HL, and discusses the role of HL in health communication, as well as future research directions in this domain. Studies of HL have increased dramatically during the past few years, but a gap between the conceptual definition of HL and its application remains. None of the existing instruments appears to completely measure the concept of HL. In particular, studies on communication/interaction and HL remain limited. Furthermore, HL should be considered not only in terms of the characteristics of individuals, but also in terms of the interactional processes between individuals and their health and social environments. Improved HL may enhance the ability and motivation of individuals to find solutions to both personal and public health problems, and these skills could be used to address various health problems throughout life. The process underpinning HL involves empowerment, one of the major goals of health communication.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:50:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-345196f66c83453293db7fb996a9aaff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-0759 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:50:59Z |
| publishDate | 2010-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BioPsychoSocial Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-345196f66c83453293db7fb996a9aaff2022-12-22T02:46:12ZengBMCBioPsychoSocial Medicine1751-07592010-11-01411810.1186/1751-0759-4-18Health literacy and health communicationKiuchi TakahiroIshikawa Hirono<p>Abstract</p> <p>Health communication consists of interpersonal or mass communication activities focused on improving the health of individuals and populations. Skills in understanding and applying information about health issues are critical to this process and may have a substantial impact on health behaviors and health outcomes. These skills have recently been conceptualized in terms of health literacy (HL). This article introduces current concepts and measurements of HL, and discusses the role of HL in health communication, as well as future research directions in this domain. Studies of HL have increased dramatically during the past few years, but a gap between the conceptual definition of HL and its application remains. None of the existing instruments appears to completely measure the concept of HL. In particular, studies on communication/interaction and HL remain limited. Furthermore, HL should be considered not only in terms of the characteristics of individuals, but also in terms of the interactional processes between individuals and their health and social environments. Improved HL may enhance the ability and motivation of individuals to find solutions to both personal and public health problems, and these skills could be used to address various health problems throughout life. The process underpinning HL involves empowerment, one of the major goals of health communication.</p>http://www.bpsmedicine.com/content/4/1/18 |
| spellingShingle | Kiuchi Takahiro Ishikawa Hirono Health literacy and health communication BioPsychoSocial Medicine |
| title | Health literacy and health communication |
| title_full | Health literacy and health communication |
| title_fullStr | Health literacy and health communication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health literacy and health communication |
| title_short | Health literacy and health communication |
| title_sort | health literacy and health communication |
| url | http://www.bpsmedicine.com/content/4/1/18 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kiuchitakahiro healthliteracyandhealthcommunication AT ishikawahirono healthliteracyandhealthcommunication |