Health literacy is about consumer empowerment

Darlene Cox

Health Care Consumers’ Association

Twitter @darlenecox

darlenecox@hcca.org.au

Consumers seeking health information have the skills, knowledge, understanding & confidence to access information.

A consumer perspective

Consumers have opportunities to build their skills & capacity and are able to pass on knowledge and support their families & friends

Consumer led health literacy is about building personal communication skills and to know where & when to seek help

Health literacy is about our ability to effectively navigate the health system and make decisions about our health and wellbeing.

Health care is a social, emotional and cultural interaction as well as an exchange of information

Barriers to health literacy

We need to address the power imbalance

We don’t plan to be unwell. It often happens at unpredictable times and often results in us needing to make decisions under considerable pressure

Heath literacy is an important aspect of informed consent

We need to make informed decisions and understanding risk is a very important aspect of that

Health information and informed consent

Understanding risk

Health information is a key to understanding our symptoms and conditions

• Recognising people are experts in their own lives. • Be aware of and address the social determinants of

health• Have strategies to address social exclusion &

isolation• Find out where consumers/patients are at and start

there. • Challenge yourself & your service to work with

difficult people.

Developing an empowerment model

We need to be supported to take risks and some of us need more support than others

Darlene CoxExecutive DirectorHealth Care Consumers’ Association

darlenecox@hcca.org.auTwitter @darlenecox

www.hcca.org.au