90% of Americans Lack Literacy in Basic Health Education
Seeing is Believing, and the Key to Good Health Video Storytelling - the Way to Better Health at BeSmartBeWell.com. CHICAGO, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — When it comes to their health, nearly 90 percent of Americans lack the literacy skills to understand basic medical information and instruction. Low literacy has been linked to poor health outcomes such as higher rates of hospitalization and less frequent use of preventive services. A few quick minutes with a physician is not sufficient for most of us to understand a complex or chronic medical condition and how we can manage it. But new research indicates that video storytelling can be an effective way to educate people about health conditions - and watching others share their health stories can empower people to take control of their own health. Stephanie Vomvouras, M.D., medical director, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and BeSmartBeWell.com medical advisor BeSmartBeWell.com, a consumer health website produced by the country’...