Health Literacy Basics
The ability to find, understand, and use health information to make good health decisions.
What is health literacy?
The process of examining different products before buying to get the best value.
What is comparison shopping?
Companies use this to persuade people to buy products.
What is advertising?
This section of a product label lists what the product is made of.
What are ingredients?
Information that is well-grounded, reliable, and supported by evidence.
What is a valid source?
A person who buys or uses health products or services.
What is a health consumer?
Two important things consumers should compare when shopping for products.
What are price and quality?
When companies exaggerate benefits or hide negative information.
What is misleading advertising?
Information on a label that tells you how to use the product safely.
What are directions or safety instructions?
One question to ask when evaluating a website about health information.
What is Who created the information?
(Also acceptable: Who pays for the site? What is the purpose?)
This helps people understand their medical conditions and make better health decisions.
What is health literacy?
The amount of product you receive in a package.
What is quantity?
Famous athletes or celebrities used to promote products.
What are celebrity endorsements?
Checking labels can help you avoid these harmful reactions.
What are allergic reactions?
A government organization that provides reliable health information.
What is a government health agency?
According to the video, only about this fraction of adults in the U.S. have the skills needed to function effectively in the healthcare system.
What is 1 out of 10 adults?
A written agreement to repair or refund a product if it does not work properly.
What is a warranty?
The loyalty customers feel toward a specific brand.
What is brand loyalty?
Information on a label about how much of something is inside the product.
What is quantity or serving size?
The reason consumers should research product claims before buying.
What is to verify the information is accurate?
These professionals are examples of trusted health information sources.
Who are doctors, nurses, or pharmacists?
The reason two similar products may have different prices.
What is brand name, advertising, or ingredients?
A product that costs more because of marketing, not necessarily better quality.
What is a brand-name product?
Reading labels helps consumers understand this before purchasing.
What are product ingredients and safety information?
A source that may contain mistakes or misleading information if written by someone without expertise.
What is an unreliable or non-expert source?