Health illiteracy costs Europe millions
8 October 2005
Bad Gastein, Austria. Improving health literacy is the key to improving
overall health and to reducing healthcare budgets in Europe, according to a
panel of experts meeting at the European Health Forum Gastein.
Motivation to more self-responsibility of citizens and patients is one of
the key issues of this year's European Health Forum Gastein, held from 5-8
October. A panel of international experts discussed the importance of
empowering Europe's citizens to make healthy choices in everyday life. The
consensus was that while providing health information is critical, enabling
and building health literacy is key to improving overall health and to
relieving healthcare budgets in Europe.
Dr Ilona Kickbusch, an independent senior health policy consultant based
in Switzerland, commented: "Health literacy is the ability to make sound
health decisions in the context of everyday life. Being competent in
healthcare makes a big difference for individuals and leads to a better
quality of life. It is also a major economic issue. Most health decisions in
our societies are made for citizens rather than with the citizen. And most
decisions which are made by people themselves are not based on all the
relevant information. Poor Health Literacy is a huge burden on societies,
both medically and economically."
It is estimated that low ability to understand health information costs
the US government $73 billion annually (American Medical Association press
release, "Hidden problem named as national health priority", 9 January
2003); however, no precise figures are available for Europe. "This lack of
information could mean that Europe is spending millions in the healthcare
sector that could easily be prevented with improved health literacy", added
Kickbusch.
At the conference, the expert panel endorsed a number of recommendations
aiming to support the goals of EU politicians to improve the overall health
of European citizens, by tackling today's massive healthcare challenges such
as: the ageing European population; the need to improve the effectiveness of
health systems; and to reduce the burden on national healthcare budgets. The
recommendations included:
- Conducting a Health Literacy survey in EU member states to assess the
current status and economic impact of Health Literacy inadequacies on
Europe's societies.
- Improved access to relevant information in order to enable European
citizens to make healthy choices.
- Life-long education/health literacy is important — citizens need to be
empowered to identify and interpret information relevant to their health
management, e.g. through providing attractive health education options
for adults.
- Introduction of health literacy education for children in school
curriculums.
- Creation of partnership initiatives — all stakeholders, from the
voluntary, private and public sector, have a role to play in building
health literacy. This is a collective responsibility and limiting the
paradigm to a single player is short-sighted.
"At a time when most countries are investing in a number of initiatives
for senior citizens such as enhancing their computer skills for instance,
it's high time to make sure that people are equally equipped to make healthy
choices in supermarkets, restaurants, or when talking with their
physicians", commented Kickbusch.
Dr Ian Banks, general practitioner in Northern Ireland and President of
the European Men's Health Forum, stated: "As a physician I fully support the
need to improve Health Literacy and Healthy Choices around Europe. Patients
need to take more responsibility for their own health. A good knowledge of
personal health matters means more than just a better understanding of what
your doctor recommends — but it includes this important aspect. On the other
hand, governments and institutions, too, need to focus on empowering the
individual citizen — if they wish to overcome today's tremendous healthcare
challenges."
It was also discussed that the balance to find is between equity and
choice. With policies promoting more choice for citizens in their pathways
of care, the risk is that only those with Health Literacy will be able to
take ownership for their health and navigate the system in an effective
manner. Vulnerable groups like older, less educated or migrant citizens
might 'fall through the net'.
"Europe has the potential to be a global leader in shaping policies that
promote Healthy Choices and Health Literacy. It is critical to realise that
this is no longer just an issue of importance to the health sector and its
outcomes — but to the future development of Europe", said Kickbusch.
For further information on the European Health Forum Gastein see:
www.ehfg.org
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