Health literacy

Health Literacy is the ability to make sound health decision in the context of every day life – at home, in the community, at the workplace, the health care system, the market place and the political arena. It is a critical empowerment strategy to increase people’s control over their health, their ability to seek out information and their ability to take responsibility.

Kickbusch, Maag, Health Literacy: towards active health citizenship 2005

Ilona Kickbusch is committed to the development of the concept of health literacy. The goal is to place health literacy as a key form of literacy in 21st century societies and as an important investment in population health. She lectures widely on the subject, has served on the advisory group of the Swiss health literacy survey > www.gesundheitskompetenz.ch.

Health Literacy at the European Health Forum Gastein EHFG
Promoting the understanding of health literacy in Europe in the context of the work of the European Commission’s focus on informed patients, consumers and citizens is critical. A sequence of events on occasion of the EHFG has helped to move the agenda forward:

2004: workshop on: Improving health literacy a key priority for enabling good health in Europe at the European Health Forum Gastein 2004

2005: Forum on “Healthy Choices” at the European Health Forum Gastein 2005

2006: pre conference workshop at the European Health Forum Gastein on “Navigating health care: Making heath systems work for patients and citizens” October4, 2006 www.ehfg.org

Some key readings:

 

News

JUST PUBLISHED: Policy Innovation for Health - September 2008 >>> more

W.I.R.E - new think tank established >>> more

WEF Global Agenda Council on Demographic Shifts established >>> more

Geneva Symposium on Global Health Diplomacy on 21. October 2008 >>> more

Stiftung Careum Neuer Stiftungsrat gewählt >>> mehr

Proposal for a global health coordination mechanism >>> more (*.pdf)

Der gemachte Körper - Internationale Konferenz in Wien 27. und 28. November 2008 >>> mehr (*.pdf)

Proceedings of Health In all Policies Conference November 2007, Adelaide, Australia published >>> more (*.pdf)

Health and Modernity
The Role of Theory in Health Promotion by David McQueen and Ilona Kickbusch >>> more

Die Gesundheitsgesellschaft
Megatrends der Gesundheit und deren Konsequenzen für Politik und Gesellschaft >>> mehr