Professional articles < Health Competence
Health Competence
Having knowledge about one’s own health, or what we call health competence, means that you can search, understand, evaluate and use information to make good decisions about your own health. This includes being able to navigate health information online. Understanding and using this information correctly can help you take better care of yourself.
Innholdsfortegnelse
Table of contents
For health professionals
Health competence, or Health Literacy, encompasses the ability to find, understand, evaluate and use health information to make informed decisions that can impact one’s own health, including information available online [1]. Health competence thus involves being able to understand and apply health-related information to take the best possible care of one’s own health.
Research indeed shows that people with good health competence often have better health habits.[2] . In other words, when people know how to correctly use health information, it can contribute to improving health (ibid.).
Instead of being a passive recipient of healthcare, digital solutions provide an opportunity for individuals to be active participants in their own health journey [3]. These solutions can be delivered in ways that build up or strengthen the belief that the treatment plan will succeed, and increase confidence that they can follow it. By giving people a larger voice and empowering them to be active participants in their own treatment, they can develop their abilities to be active decision-makers in their own treatment process [3].
In today's digital age, serious and less serious actors have the opportunity to deliver education and patient materials in various formats, at different literacy levels, in multiple languages, using formal and informal teaching methods, at any time. It is therefore more important than ever to be aware that different sources may have varying degrees of professionalism, credibility, and quality [4]. At ExorLive, source criticism is highly emphasized; all health information is carefully reviewed and thoroughly evaluated by our multidisciplinary team, and it is systematically updated to reflect the latest research. This helps ensure that our users can trust that the information is both credible and of the highest quality.
By strengthening health competence, ExorLive facilitates for each individual user not only to be able to make informed and confident choices for their personal health situation but also to achieve empowerment through increased knowledge and control over their own health.
References
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Literacy, "Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion," Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, L. Nielsen-Bohlman, A. M. Panzer and D. A. Kindig, eds., Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US)
K. Kim et al., “The Relation Between eHealth Literacy and Health-Related Behaviors: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” J Med Internet Res, vol. 25, pp. e40778, Jan 30, 2023.
S. Conard, "Best practices in digital health literacy," Int J Cardiol, pp. 277-279, Netherlands: © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V., 2019.
A. M. Fast et al., “Evaluating the quality of Internet health resources in pediatric urology,” J Pediatr Urol, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 151-6, Apr, 2013.
Copyright 2004 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved., 2004.
For users of our services
Having knowledge about your own health, or what we call health literacy, means being able to search, understand, evaluate, and use information to make good decisions about your own health. This includes being able to navigate health information online. Understanding and using this information correctly can help you take better care of yourself.
Studies show that people with good health literacy often live healthier lives [1].
In today's digital world, you can be more than just a recipient of healthcare; you can actively contribute to improving your own health. Taking an active role can increase your understanding, empowerment, and trust in the treatment you receive.
Digital tools allow you to monitor and actively participate in your own treatment. These technologies support you in following treatment plans and give you greater confidence in managing your health.
In an era where many different actors offer health information, it is more important than ever to be critical of the sources you use. The information can vary greatly in quality and reliability. At ExorLive, we place great emphasis on source criticism; our interdisciplinary team ensures that all information is thoroughly reviewed and updated according to the latest research, so you can trust that you are receiving the highest quality information.
With increased health literacy, ExorLive facilitates you, the user, in making well-informed and safe choices for your health. Our goal is for you to feel enlightened and empowered to take control of your own health situation.
References
References available upon request.
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