New initiatives to boost health literacy in populations and organisations need broad input from patients and the public, says Tessa Richards “Sunshine, rest, exercise, diet, friends, and self-confidence” are the “six best doctors in the world,” is a popular quote. As a patient with multiple long term conditions, I’d add “peer support” to that list. I know from firsthand experience how the solidarity, insights, wisdom, and resources provided by networked patient communities can support patients and help them become more health literate.1 The World Health Organization emphasises that health literacy is more than the ability to understand and “comply” with health professional diktat. It encompasses “the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways which promote and maintain” their own good health, and that of their family and community.23 Raising the health literacy of populations is high on WHO’s agenda. The rationale is that this improves health outcomes, counters misinformation, “pays off” financially, and helps drive ‘“governments to meet their responsibilities” to tackle the determinants of health and health equity.3 Several countries have already adopted national action plans aimed at raising their populations’ health literacy levels.4 A few weeks ago WHO …

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健康素养很重要

泰莎·理查兹表示，提高人群和组织健康素养的新举措需要患者和公众的广泛投入，“阳光、休息、运动、饮食、朋友和自信”是“世界上最好的六种医生”。一句流行的名言。作为一名患有多种长期疾病的患者，我会在该列表中添加“同伴支持”。我从第一手经验中了解到，网络患者社区提供的团结、见解、智慧和资源如何能够支持患者并帮助他们提高健康素养。1世界卫生组织强调，健康素养不仅仅是理解和“遵守”的能力。 ” 健康专业人士的命令。它包括“个人以促进和维护”自身、家庭和社区良好健康的方式获取、理解和使用信息的动机和能力。23 提高民众的健康素养是世卫组织的一项重要目标。议程。理由是，这可以改善健康结果，消除错误信息，在经济上“获得回报”，并有助于推动“政府履行其责任”，解决健康和健康公平的决定因素。3 一些国家已经通过了国家行动计划，旨在提高人民的健康素养水平。4 几周前，世卫组织……