October is Health Literacy Month
This year, Health Literacy Month comes at a time when confusing or contradictory health-related headlines are causing understandable uncertainty.
Health Literacy and Misinformation
As we noted last week, health misinformation is increasingly shaping public discourse, beliefs and policy actions, and it can carry significant consequences especially when that information comes from the highest levels of government, as it is in the United States right now.
At the same time, for many Canadians, navigating the health system can feel overwhelming. It’s not about intelligence or willingness; it’s about barriers that stand in the way of understanding and acting on health information.
Improving Access and Equity
Improving health literacy means improving health equity. Higher health literacy equips individuals to make better health choices by understanding complex health information and applying it to their own lives.
Lower literacy makes them more likely to be swayed by persuasive but inaccurate health messages, leading to potentially harmful health decisions.
How You Can Help
Doctors Manitoba is working to counter misinformation and increase health literacy by growing our Getting Healthy public resource. We are always looking for physicians to contribute trustworthy expert online content on health topics for Manitobans, to help them prevent disease and live a longer and healthier life.
- Content can focus on topics like medical screenings, immunizations, eating well, moving more, reducing stress, and better sleep.
- Our in-house writer can draft the content with your advice and direction, and you’ll get to review and approve it.
- You will receive an honorarium for your contribution.
- Contact us at gettinghealthy@doctorsmanitoba.ca to help.
Health Literacy Resources for Providers and Patients
Our health literacy colleagues at ABC Health Matters have excellent resources for physicians and patients alike. Check out their toolkit for communicating with patients who may have low health literacy and share free resources and programs with your patients at abchealthmatters.ca.