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Take a moment and imagine not being able to read this sentence. Now, think about this … if you’re reading this, you’re doing something millions of Americans can’t.


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I’ll admit that I never realized how many people can’t read. It’s something I’ve always taken for granted. That’s until Black and I met someone doing something about it – Jackie Aguilera, now the Project Manager for the Mayor’s Office of Adult Literacy (Houston). Her focus wasn’t only on reading literacy but on “literacies” I’d never heard of, such as financial literacy, health literacy, and digital literacy. But it all starts with the ability to read.


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It is called functional literacy. Obviously, if you are reading this article, you are on the internet. Which has more information than anyone can possibly absorb (and is why news literacy is so critical). Now, imagine if you could not read. All that information … just sitting there. Available to others, but not to you.


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Books are my great escape. Always have been. So, I can’t imagine a life without them.
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Design by Sawyer Pennington, Underlying photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
It’s late October, and for most of us, fall is in the air, which is Red’s favorite season. (It might have something to do with all the pumpkin spice products.) Halloween, which has been “marketed” in stores for months, will soon be over. And Election Day, which has been headline news for what seems like forever, is just around the corner. So, why are we linking to an Independence Day column? And one from 2020, no less?


Because now is the time to decide what direction we want to take our country. RED & BLACK … A Time For Independence is about the spirit of independence. And four years later, we feel it’s very sad (and very scary) that our sentiments about our country’s leaders having the strength, courage, and conviction to be independent thinkers are still relevant. Maybe even more than ever before.

People have told us they're using our sisterly banter to start conversations with others (family, friends, and even in classrooms), so Black created "Conversation Starters".

Health literacy is more than just reading a prescription label or following a doctor’s instructions; it’s understanding our health – from basic information to making choices that support our well-being. And October is Health Literacy Month, although it may take more than a month to figure it out.

But if it makes you feel any better – Red found the term “health literacy” both intimidating and boring, while Black thought it was off-putting …



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As a mom, over the years, I've had to become familiar with various children's health issues and basic healthcare (and don't get me started on health insurance). But whenever it was something more than the common cold or flu, a stomach ache, or the usual scrapes and bruises, I felt like I was back in school. And between the terminology and trying to understand how the body works, I often felt like I needed a nursing degree. Not to mention, there's so much information on the internet, it can be overwhelming as well as confusing and sometimes scary.

Over the years, I've also had to deal with my aging parent's more serious health issues, and I've lost count of the pages of notes I've taken and questions I've asked. Or the conversations discussing risks vs. benefits that I've had with medical professionals and my sister. (I'm glad Black finds statistics "fun" and can look at them unemotionally because they give me a headache.)


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Until recently, I had never heard the term "health literacy," and when I first did, I initially thought about general literacy skills such as the ability to read and understand numbers. Skills that are essential if you are sick and need health information and services, but also impact health decisions that should be simple, like filling out forms, taking over-the-counter drugs (aspirin, cold and flu remedies, etc.), and learning about the things we should (or should not) do to live a healthier life and reduce the chances of serious illness.

But then, I thought about how anytime I had to deal with a health issue, especially ones that could potentially be serious, it was a tedious, complicated, and technical challenge. And, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I like to consider myself well-read, pragmatic, and comfortable with numbers and research documents. In other words, although it impacts some people more than others, the issue of "health literacy" affects us all. (And, that does not even address what it does to the cost of healthcare.)

THE CONVERSATION STARTERS

  • Before now, have you ever thought about "health literacy"? How would you describe it? What impact does it have on your life? How can it impact your ability to be successful in the workplace?
  • Why do health and healthcare topics seem so daunting?
  • Does health literacy only impact you when you are facing health issues? Explain your answer.
  • Have you ever had a medical situation or condition that required you to learn more about it? Where did you seek information? Did you have any problems learning about it? Explain your answers.
P.S. – You might be interested in our Conversation Starters for Financial Literacy and Digital Literacy.