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Occupational therapy can promote health and contribute to efforts to create a more health-literate society through the development and use of health education approaches and materials that are understandable, accessible, and usable by the full spectrum of consumers. Health literacy affects individuals' ability to make health decisions and actively participate in health-related activities.
Earlier definitions of health literacy suggested that the concept was primarily related to the ability of individuals to gather, interpret, and use information to make suitable health-related decisions (Institute of Medicine, 2004). Recently, scholars have suggested that the definition of health literacy includes individual ability, professional communication skills, and the context or environment in which the information is being disseminated (Pleasant et al., 2016). When all aspects are considered, health literacy promotes participation, empowerment, and control over daily life (Nutbeam, 2008; Pleasant et al., 2016).
People with inadequate health literacy are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes (DeWalt, Berkman, Sheridan, Lohr, & Pignone, 2004). Although those who possess adequate health literacy achieve better health outcomes, an...