Health Literacy

Catalog description

A silent killer maneuvers just below the surface of almost all the health issues that will lead to disease and death in the 21st century. The silent killer is low health literacy. At least half of the adults in the US have low health literacy, making it one of the most critical threats to public health. Health literacy refers to the wide range of skills, and competencies people develop over a lifetime to seek out, comprehend, evaluate, and use health information and concepts so that they can make informed choices, reduce health risks, and their increase quality of life. There is very little capacity for people to live healthier and more equitable lives without improving health literacy. From type 2 Diabetes and obesity, to emerging infectious diseases and radiation poisoning, this course will give students a solid foundation in health literacy using real world cases focusing on research, public health communication campaigns, and social media's new role in shaping public health literacy.