Health Literacy (HL) is the ability to find, use and apply information to look after our health. We now realise that an individual’s HL is influenced by their community supports (distributive HL) and services they access (HL responsive organisations). As a social determinant of health, HL can determine one’s health outcomes, educational attainment, social equity and productivity. Developing the asset of HL earlier in life influences adult health behaviours.
In eight weeks, I travelled to nine countries and met with more than 485 experts, practitioners, researchers and policy makers. We talked for over 4223 minutes (74 hours). All voices were unanimous: health literacy is the responsibility of our health, education and community sectors within each country.
Given what has been learnt globally on this Fellowship, Australia will need to act now to ensure health literacy development is high on the agenda of health departments, community departments, education departments, principals, teachers and school nurses, for the sake of our current and future children and adolescents.
Social Enterprises such as HealthLit4Everyone will be essential to addressing Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing). HealthLit4Everyone aims to improve health literacy outcomes, mitigating health and social inequities for children, families and communities locally and globally through education, consultation and advocacy activities.
Complex challenges like child and adolescent health literacy will require everyone on the dancefloor, in rhythm dancing to the same beat. The conclusions and recommendations contained in my report are my effort to help set that beat. Read my report and then join me to address this urgent and important mission.
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