Importance of Effective Communication and Health Literacy in a Culturally Safe Healthcare Environment

This presentation discusses the importance of effective communication and health literacy in a culturally safe healthcare environment. It defines health literacy and explains how it can be improved through understandable health language, approachable learning materials, and good communication approaches. The presentation also highlights the benefits of health literacy for patients, health practitioners, and the community, including improved safety, accessibility to healthcare services, and lower risk of mortality for the elderly.

IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION AND HEALTH LITERACY
IN A CULTURALY SAFE HEALTHCARE
ENVIRONMENT.

What is health literacy
 Health literacy is termed as the ability of a person to comprehend and act
on information concerning health.
 The origins are based on the promotion of health, which is a personal
ability developed through education.
 Strategies set to ensure reduced health illiteracy include development of:
understandable health language
approachable learning materials for the patients
good communication approaches with the patient

Importance of health literacy
Ensures :
patient’s safety.
improved health status and lower risk of mortality for the
elderly.
reduced cases of hospitalization and emergency care usage.
effective use of services and access to health care,
maintenance of wellness and health as well as self-care of
severe health conditions.

Health literacy relations
Health literacy beneficiaries:
Patients
Health practitioners
The community

Patients as beneficiaries
 Safety
 Accessibility to health care services
 Enlightening patients on health information

The community as beneficiaries
 lower risk of mortality for the elderly.
 acknowledgement of communities cultural beliefs
 conducting community awareness programs

Health practitioners as beneficiaries
 Acquisition of new health information in relation to culture
 Enhancement of their communication skills for instance Cross-
disciplinary communication
 Acquiring knowledge of their beliefs, cultures, practices,
strategies, and assumptions.

References
Berkman, N. D., Davis, T. C., & McCormack, L. (2010). Health literacy: what is it? Journal of health
communication.
Bernabeo, E., & Holmboe, E. S. (2013). Patients, providers, and systems need to acquire a specific set of
competencies to achieve truly patient-centered care. Health Affairs.
Borkowski, N. (2015). Organizational behavior in health care. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Close, V. A. (2011). An insight into cross cultural communication strategies in health (Doctoral dissertation,
University of Southern Queensland).
Mirowsky, J. (2017). Education, social status, and health. Routledge.
Nunes, V., Neilson, J., O’flynn, N., Calvert, N., Kuntze, S., Smithson, H., & Crome, P. (2009). Clinical guidelines
and evidence review for medicines adherence: involving patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and
supporting adherence. London: National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care and Royal College of General
Practitioners.