Research by the Nivel Consumer Panel on Healthcare shows that over 36% (1 in 3 Dutch people) have low health literacy. WOW! Often these low health skills have negative health consequences. These people are often less able to cope with illness, make more mistakes when taking medicines and have to make more effort to understand information from a healthcare provider. So it's important to master these skills!
Skills are insufficient in 9.5% of the Dutch people surveyed, limited in 26.9%. Men, people with lower levels of education, people aged 65 and over and people who rate their health as worse fall especially into the category with low health skills.
What exactly are health literacy?
Health skills are the skills of individuals to obtain, understand, assess and use health-related information when they need to make a health-related decision. So why are these skills so important? Because these skills make it possible to take an active role regarding one's own health and care.
People with low health literacy:
- have more difficulty finding their way within healthcare;
- are less able to deal with health and illness themselves at home;
- find it more difficult to be an active interlocutor in a consultation with a healthcare provider;
- make more use of care;
- generally have worse health outcomes.
Are you also struggling to make decisions about your health? No worries. FriskFysio is here to provide you with information that best suits your needs.
The first appointment
The first appointment we map out your situation through an interview and physical examination. How did your complaints arise, when do they increase and when do they decrease? After the first appointment, you will immediately get more clarity on the options and next steps!
Get in touch
We are here for you. Would you like more information or to schedule an appointment? Then you can do so by calling, sending an e-mail to info@friskfysio.nl or by filling in the contact form on our website.
SOURCE: https://fysioforum.nl/ruim-een-op-de-drie-nederlanders-heeft-lage-gezondheidsvaardigheden/