Quite simply, good health literacy is linked to experiencing better health outcomes. So, adopting good health habits and behaviours can contribute to us living the best life possible and help us to remain in control of decisions that need to be made.
Having health literacy helps us to maintain choice and control over when and how we engage with the health system and receive care.
Good quality health information should be:
- Easy to understand;
- Based on evidence;
- Free from bias;
- Give options and explain the pros and cons;
- Relevant and practical;
- Informative and build an individual’s knowledge; and
- Maintain and/or improve health and quality of life.