Skip to main content


Repost Message will copy the article into draft mode and enable you to edit/change dates and information.
Do not change the dates of this posting because it will affect the original.

MCC Daily Tribune

Health Literacy Month

According to studies, more than 40 percent of Americans have difficulty obtaining, processing, and understanding basic healthcare information — which is necessary for making informed decisions. Lack of healthcare literacy can seriously hamper global healthcare efforts. Each year, October is observed as Health Literacy Month. Author Helen Osborne, who established the month in 1999, wanted to increase access to healthcare information. Several camps and workshops are organized for healthcare practitioners, discussing ways to improve health literacy worldwide.

HOW TO OBSERVE HEALTH LITERACY MONTH

  1. Sponsor a child's education

    Lack of education is a major barrier to making healthcare information more accessible.

  2. Organize a Bootcamp

    Help educate the general public about the basics of healthcare — as well as tools they can use to make more informed decisions about their health.

  3. Give an award

    Publicly call out those you consider Health Literacy Heroes — and thank them for making a difference.

3 FASCINATING BODY ODDITIES

  1. Rollercoaster Organ Shift

    Yes, that "stomach in your mouth" feeling when the rollercoaster plummets is actually some of your internal organs shifting slightly. Don't worry, though. The movement is only slight and they come right back to where they belong

  2. Women are Colder than Men

    Not emotionally, physiologically. While women have a higher body fat percentage to keep vital organs warm, this leads to their extremities getting colder, sooner. Hence, the relative lower body temperature compared to men.

  3. Achy Joints Can Predict Weather

    When bad weather is about to set in, the atmospheric pressure drops. This drop can lead to expansion of body tissue, which can result in swelling. The effect is more pronounced in people with arthritis

WHY HEALTH LITERACY MONTH IS IMPORTANT

  1. More information helps all of us

    When healthcare professionals communicate in an easy-to-understand manner, we all benefit.

  2. It impacts lives globally

    People all around the world can benefit from this. It doesn't matter where you are or what language you speak.

  3. Worldwide help

    Healthcare Literacy Month advocates for free access to thousands of health education resources in up to 18 languages.

Sarah Benedict
MCC Wellness Council
10/18/2022