According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 60% of adults and 88% of seniors are not health literate. That means that they cannot confidently and knowledgeably access, understand, evaluate and communicate information that is related to their health (and the health of their loved ones). They cannot navigate the often-complex health care systems across this country, nor can they decode the health information that we all need to process in our daily lives.

 

Think about the many ways we must navigate health information in Canada. If you go to a store to buy medication, you must be able to read and understand the information given on the package, including what symptoms are relieved, dosage instructions and warnings. Or, when advocating for a sick family member, there are often overwhelming technical details and complex names of drugs and conditions. Once we add low literacy or language barriers into the mix and then compound those with the stresses of being sick or worried, we quickly realize what a challenge navigating our health system can be.

 

We have a health literacy problem in Canada that needs addressing, because, according to Health Canada, people with low health literacy have poorer health. They have lower life expectancy, increased number of accidents, and increased incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They are more likely to misuse medication, misunderstand health information and medical directions, and increase the burden on the health care system by requiring more time, money and emergency care.

 

Even setting aside the obvious social benefits for improving Canadian’s health literacy, the economic reasons are also abundantly clear. The Canadian Institute
for Health Information reported that in 2014, Canadian health expenditures were to represent 11% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP)—that equals $214.9 billion or $6,045 per person. When looking at drugs and physicians’ services, Canada is one of the top health care spenders among the 30 OECD countries, both on a per capita basis and in relation to GDP. Given that baby-boomers, Canada’s largest population group, are beginning to turn 65, we know that the stresses on the health care system will continue to grow.

 

To improve health literacy we need to increase literacy in general, we need to make medical information available in clear language (whether that is on packaging, medication information or in conversation with a health professional), we need to build individuals’ self-confidence and their ability to understand and advocate for their needs. This can only be done through the development of partnerships between the public, private and non-profit sectors and between health and literacy organizations. It is time all Canadians commit to improving literacy and health in this country. The savings would be nice; the social impact, life-changing.

 

ABC Life Literacy Canada has just launched ABC Health Matters, a health literacy program to empower Canadians to manage their health more effectively by increasing their confidence when talking about and making decisions regarding health issues with family, friends and health professionals. ABC Health Matters is being piloted in communities across Ontario. Find out more at ABCHealthMatters.ca.