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Health care folks -- doctors, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, physical therapists, health educators and writers -- use special words. You may know what their words mean or you may not. If you don't know what the words mean you could harm your health. Lack of understanding, or health literacy, is a big problem in the US. The numbers are upsetting.

A National Adult Literacy Survey found that 44 million Americans are health illiterate -- they don't understand health words.

According to the Center for Health Care Strategies, 66% of Americans, 60 years old and older, have poor health literacy skills.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says emergency room patients who lack health literacy skills are twice as likely to be hospitalized.

The American Medical Association (AMA) found that 90 million Americans do not understand what their doctor tells them.

Forty-two percent of Americans do not understand the words on prescription medicine bottles.

So you can see why the canada betaine anhydrous and the AMA Alliance are working together to improve health literacy. What is it? The AMA Council of Scientific Affairs defines health literacy as "the ability to read and comprehend prescription bottles, appointment slips, and the other essential health-related materials required to successfully function as a patient."

In other words, you can read, understand, and use health information.

Even if you know lots of health words there are probably some you do not know, words that affect your health. What can you do? The Partnership for Clear Health Communication says you should ask questions and has an "Ask Me 3" program. The three questions you should ask:

1. What is my main problem?
2. What do I need to do?
3. Why is it important for me to do this?

Use the "Ask Me 3" plan when you talk with health care folks. Ask more more questions if you don't understand your health problem and treatment plan. You may also ask for a brochure, pamphlet, reminder card, or diagram. Your medical center may have a library and you can get information there.

Many medical centers offer free health courses and you may as well take advantage of them. Sign up for a course about fixing heart healthy meals, using exercise equipment, pain management, breast self-examination, life after surgery, and others. While there is lots of health information on the Internet, you should find out if this information is reliable before you use it.

The AMA and AMA Alliance are training health professionals and volunteers in health literacy. For example, your doctor may ask you to repeat directions. Your doctor is not doing this to make you feel bad, she or he is doing this to make sure things were explained right. Your doctor may give you a chart that shows when you take medicine. Again, she or he wants to make sure things were explained right.

For more information about health words go to www.askme3.org and print out a free brochure from this site. You may also wish to read "Medical Check-Up: What Does Your Doctor Need From You?", published on www.ezinearticles.com and the "American Medical Association Guide to Talking to Your Doctor."

Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. She is a member of the Assocation of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating coenzyme q10 written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundation Web site ("School Corner" heading) and the Health Ministries Association Web site.