Prompt: As a public health professional, what could you do to help overcome the health disparities that exist in the United States because of a lack of health literacy among the elderly? Please identify the health disparities you think may affect this age group.
here are some extra info i got from the internet to help you answer the above prompt question which will help to answer the question:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5119904/
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-health/interventions-resources/health-literacy
Health
literacy challenges may impact older adults more than other age groups.12 On
average, adults age 65 and older have lower health literacy than adults under
the age of 65.27 Low
health literacy among older adults is associated with increased reports of poor
physical functioning, pain, limitations of daily activities, poor mental health
status34, 35
Improvements
in health practice that address low health literacy are needed to reduce
disparities in health status. As limited health literacy is common and may be
difficult to recognize, “experts recommend that practices assume all patients
and caregivers may have difficulty comprehending health information and should
communicate in ways that anyone can understand.”37 Examples
include: simplifying communication; confirming comprehension for all patients
to minimize risk of miscommunication; making the health care system easier to
navigate; and supporting patient’s efforts to improve their health.37
Additional
research is needed to increase the evidence base for what works to improve the
effects of health literacy on health outcomes and disparities. This additional
evidence will facilitate public health efforts to address health literacy as a
social determinant of health.
Why do older people have
lower health literacy?
Physical impairments such
as hearing and vision loss may also contribute to a decreased ability to
process health information (Cornett, 2006; Speros, 2009).
Psychosocial factors such as socioeconomic status and coping may negatively
influence understanding health information (Cornett, 2006).
What are the challenges
to developing and maintaining good health literacy with older adults?
The ramifications
for people with low to moderate healthcare literacy skills
include the inability to assume positive self management, higher medical costs
due to more medication and treatment errors, more frequent hospitalizations,
longer hospital stays, more visits to their healthcare provider,
and a lack of
https://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol142009/No3Sept09/Health-Literacy-Challenges.html
https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/pdf/olderadults-508.pdf
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