Low literacy is an issue for PH!

It was really eye opening watching the videos on literarcy in todays class. It was incredible to hear first hand accounts of people who unknowingly endangered their lives and health because they weren't able to read warning labels or their prescription label properly. This really drove home a point made in the video; that low literacy stops people from taking action in self care, the care of others, action within the community, and at work. Imagine the consequences of someone not being able to read a warning sign properly within the work place and how that might affect other workers. I wouldn't blame the person who made the mistake, but rather the person who wrote the warning sign/label. Although I can read at an educated level, I know I wouldn't mind health and safety material to be written in plain language. I really identified with the people in both videos. Just because I could read at a higher level than them doesn't mean it makes it any easier when I have to read my insurance coverage booklet, or the lengthy information sheet that comes with prescriptions. This makes me wonder though if its in the best interest of insurance companies, like Medicare, to have patients not understand all the benefits they are entitled too. The less a client knows about their insurance coverage, the better it can be for the insurance company. Well, this is at least my hypothesis of the day.