Please respond to the following discussion posts.

Posted by Vanessa Module 7-1 Vulnerable Population

Health literacy is pretty much anyone being able to access and understand health in general. I think this is a big problem leaving many in the vulnerable populations at risk. However it’s a not a problem that can’t be addressed. It’s up to not just the doctors but the patients to understand health. Many health conditions are preventable. I think about the homeless population and elderly population as a huge risk at having poor health care literacy. The reason why, because health care has been leaning more toward an internet based education and awareness. Anyone can really get access and awareness about his or her health if they have easy and accessible access to the internet. Elderly for instance, may not know how to use the internet, the homeless may not have access. Therefore, they don’t have access or information. Doctors need to learn how to communicate better and make sure their patients are understanding. It’s scary sometimes when you go into a doctor’s office and they throw out these big medical terms you probably have no idea about. It’s important to speak in plain terms for the patients to understand about their health. The health care field in general needs more programs and initiatives for preventative programs, information, and service to get people informed so that they can lead healthier lifestyles and be at less of a risk for health concerns. I think the better communication, and the more informed everyone is about history and health the better off a patient will be in the long run. Making sure people have better health literacy is important and is a big problem. However, this is one those problems that can be solved with a little effort from people in the health care field.

Posted by MIA Module 7-1 Vulnerable Population

Health literacy is a person’s ability to comprehend health status, especially as it pertains to them (HHS). This may include the nature of a disease, what system it affects, and how they must treat it properly. Vulnerable populations include a variety of people. Some of these people have chronic illnesses, others are poverty-stricken, or have a language barrier as a minority immigrant (AHIP, 2018). These circumstances create a very delicate situation. A lack of education, understanding of a language, and a complex health condition puts a person at risk for poor quality of life or death. We may solve this by improving lines of communication. Open lines of communication during the visit and after create a space for shared learning. Practitioners should politely quiz their patients to see the level of their comprehension. Likewise, patients should feel comfortable inquiring further afterwards (without having to come back in). An increase of available educational materials in plain language also needs more exposure and advertisement so that people without higher education may understand their bodies and its needs (HHS).

References

AHIP. (2018, April 12). Why health literacy is important for diverse communities. Retrieved from https://www.ahip.org/why-health-literacy-is-import…

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Plain language: A promising strategy for clearly communicationg health information and improving health literacy. Retrieved from https://health.gov/communication/literacy/plainlan…

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). What is health literacy? Retrieved from https://health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/factsbasic.htm

Posted by Sara Module 7-2 Vulnerable Population

Society bears the burden of low health literacy in the same sense as it bears the burden with low literacy in general. Individuals who have low literacy levels struggle with everyday life. When this is the case with health literacy patients/consumers have a hard time understanding medication instructions, health plan information, discharge instructions and care plans. The time that patients usually spend with their PCP or any doctor for that matter is brief and questions and answers can be limited and even non-existent. That being said a person who has low health literacy has a hard time understanding,processing and grasping the simplest of things much less more complex issues. The reality is a significant number of individuals in our country are struggling at the low health literacy level.

Posted by Vanessa Module 7-2 Vulnerable Population

I think the authors of the article were making a bold statement in saying that society as while bears the burden of low health literacy.To me, I think this has a lot to do with stigma and making certain populations feel alienated. I also think it has to with not speaking up and being to consumed in our own lives and not caring what happens to others. I think as a society we need to be more informed, aware, and compassionate. Examples for me is work. So many people show up to work sick because they are worried about the pay, or getting fired. Unfortunately by showing up sick others are being put at risk for being sick and the illness is prolonged. We need to learn to speak up and let people know that if they are sick they should stay home. I also think we need to work to encourage each other to live healthier. I think healthier can be a trend. I think it’s also about people speaking up and just making suggestions but educating and making others aware. I think we should all as a society speak up and help each other to make society better as a whole.

Posted by Jeremy C Module 7-1 Community Health

I personally got a 50% on the test which is a lot worse than I thought I would do. There were a few questions that I got wrong from either underestimating or overestimating numbers associated with the question. The one question that I thought I was 100% was the chemical that causes the high, but I got the two chemicals THC and CBD mixed up. The most surprising thing I learned from this quiz was the 19,000 people that overdose on opioids which was a lot more than what I expected (2017 National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge, 2019). I think that my community would score the same amount as I would. This subject is not something that is talked about all in society. Some of the news is talking about the opioid crisis, but the scale of the crisis would a lot bigger than what people expect.

References

2017 National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge. (2019, April 09). Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/quiz/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week/take-iq-challenge/2017

Posted by Amanda C Module 7-1 Community Health

I did not do as well on the quiz as I anticipated. I got a 50%, so I answered 6 out of 12 correctly. I was surprised that I didn’t know more about how the drugs affected our systems. Like the question about memory and where it is stored in the brain, I did not know that answer. I also did not understand how methamphetamines affect the brain either, I just always knew they were bad. I do not think people in my community would get a better score than myself. There a lot of drug users and smokers in my community and I do not feel they are aware of how detrimental their recreational choices are. The tricky questions were the numbers of people affected each year by second hand smoke and the like and I totally UNDER estimated the number affected. I do not smoke and I feel like I am thoroughly educated on the effects but not on the occurrence rate. The most surprising thing I learned is the that methamphetamines affect the brain’s ability to fight off infection.

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