FEATURE: Are you Health Literate?
Written by Kathryn Savage
When did you last have your cholesterol checked? What’s your score? High blood pressure? Family history of diabetes?
For many Americans, the Norman Rockwell era of the family doctor that you see from birth till retirement is as quaint a notion as 25 cent gas. We live in a world where transitions from employer to employer mean different insurance cards and often a different network of care. One doctor per person is a far cry from the realities of modern medicine.
In this age where we swap physicians like hairstyles, (every few years at least) it’s important to know your score, your cholesterol score, the results of your last allergy test and let’s face it, your whole medical history.
Medical experts agree that digitalizing medical records, and giving people access to their charts online would revolutionize care and reduce redundancies. The problem? Doctors are slow to make the change. Small clinics would need to do a complete overhaul, invest thousands in computer technologies, and spend loads of time inputing all that information. Data entry from hell is the vibe I get after reading this recent article in the New York Times. Would digital records revolutionize care? Yes. Are doctors quick to adopt this practice? No. Fewer than one in five of the nations doctors have started using such records.
If I were you doc, I’d get on board.
It’s not that American’s lack options. From Wii fit to a gym on every corner, an array of online diet information, websites like the Mayo Clinic with a huge assortment of articles about how to stay healthy and well, and home workout dvd’s, we’ve got options when it comes to staying healthy. But that doesn’t mean we’re doing it. According to a recent report, only 12 percent of American adults are health literate. Meaning, only 12 percent of Americans understand how to manage their care. Only 12 percent can understand the information on a prescription bottle, read proper dosage, fill out medical forms and comprehend their insurance coverage. While it’s important to increase health literacy, it’s equally, if not more important, to make healthy choices and take measures to side-step illness.
Health Tips
For a range of health tips scope this website of course! Also check out the Mayo Clinic, and these ten essential health tips for living a long, happy, and healthy life!
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