Health Literacy Research and Practice (Aug 2018)

Health Literacy and Power

  • Michael K. Paasche-Orlow,
  • Dean Schillinger,
  • Barry D. Weiss,
  • Timothy Bickmore,
  • Howard Cabral,
  • Peter Chang,
  • Stacy C. Bailey,
  • Darren A. Dewalt,
  • Alicia Fernandez,
  • Mirjam Fransen,
  • Angela Leung,
  • Kirsten McCaffery,
  • Cathy D. Meade,
  • Lauren A. McCormack,
  • Joanne Protheroe,
  • Ruth Parker,
  • Russell Rothman,
  • Don Rubin,
  • Rima Rudd,
  • Kristine Sørensen,
  • Christian Von Wagner,
  • H. Shonna Yin,
  • Michael S. Wolf,
  • Raymond L. Ownby

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3928/24748307-20180629-01
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 3
pp. e132 – e133

Abstract

Read online

Ultimately, the goal of the field of health literacy and the purpose of HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice is empowerment—to help people gain more control over their health. Studies reported in HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice will vary, but our continuing objective is to improve individuals' and the public's health by disseminating and leveraging new discoveries and beneficial interventions related to health literacy. Articles will focus on people, families, and communities; patients, caregivers, employees, and community members; clinicians, clinics, organizations, and systems; words, numbers, and languages; mental, socioemotional processes, and interactional phenomena. We seek to understand and intervene, so people can understand better and have the ability to positively influence their health. In addition, we seek to learn and disseminate information that can catalyze a broad reshaping of public health and health care to enable institutions to work better for everyone, no matter what their level of health literacy. In this way, the goal of our work is not only patient empowerment and professional proficiency, but also disruption and transformation of the status quo to reverse institutional, systemic, and societal practices that disadvantage those with limited health literacy.

Keywords