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Contribution to Book
The association between literacy and health: providing health information to adults with low literacy
The MLA guide to health literacy at the library (2008)
  • Heather J Martin
  • Nadine Wathen, The University of Western Ontario
Abstract
“Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic information and services needed to make appropriate decisions regarding their health” (Nielsen-Bohlman, Panzer, and Kindig, 2004). Based on this definition from health People 2010 (U.S. DHHS, 2000), health literacy encompasses much more than reading and numeracy skills; it is also a measure of conceptual knowledge. While even literate, educated adults can have low health literacy, the problem is even more significant for those millions of adults who cannot read.
Keywords
  • health literacy,
  • librarians,
  • literacy
Publication Date
2008
Editor
M. Kars, L.M. Baker, & F. Wilson, (Eds.)
Publisher
Neal-Schuman
ISBN
978-1-55570-625-8
Citation Information
Heather J Martin and Nadine Wathen. "The association between literacy and health: providing health information to adults with low literacy" New YorkThe MLA guide to health literacy at the library (2008) p. 103 - 113
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/heather-j-martin/3/