Health Literacy: Basic Health Information & Services

Literacy forms an important input in overall development of individual enabling them to comprehend their social, political and cultural environment better and respond to it apt. From an individual perspective, one needs adequate literacy skills to participate and function happily within – and contribute to- one’s communities. From a collective perspective, a literate community is a dynamic community. Literacy and level of education are basic indicators of the level of development achieved by a society. Spread of Literacy is generally associated with important traits of modern civilization such as modernization, urbanization, industrialization, communication and commerce. The sharing of ideas, perspectives and concerns also leads to greater levels of mutual understandings and caring and ultimately strong community spirit.Choosing a healthy lifestyle, knowing how to seek medical care, and taking advantage of preventive measures require that people understand and use health information. The ability to obtain process and understand health information needed to make informed health decisions is known as health literacy.