Health Literacy Lecture with Jami Flick

Each and every class I gain a new perspective and appreciation for the field of occupational therapy and all that it can address as a profession. Today was no exception. I knew that health and wellness was a huge part of occupational therapy but Professor Flick also brought in several areas of practice that I wasn't so aware of. For example, she talked a lot about health literacy and how that can affect people's ability to do a lot of things. When I visited Haiti in 2015 and 2016, I definitely noticed the lack of literacy, like Professor Flick talked about, among many adults in the village I was stationed. I naively thought that America didn't suffer from illiteracy as severely and that everyone could navigate the healthcare system. That is so far from the truth and there are individuals taking the wrong medications, the wrong dosages, and the wrong amount of prescriptions every single day. Health literacy affect's one's ability to not only figure out what is being told to them but what they are sharing with the health professional. A task that I so easily take for granted is being able to read and fill out the paperwork that's given to me at the doctor's office. The content of that paperwork is vital to one's health and life.
I really like that the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Triple AIM is pushing for occupational therapists to be more involved in community-based practice, primary care, and population health. There's such a gap in this area and this a step forward in the right direction. A world of difference can be made for these individuals who struggle with health literacy if we, as occupational therapists, step in and increase education, get on the client's level, and build a good rapport. I believe it's our job to step in and provide whatever intervention necessary, whether it be primary, secondary, or tertiary, to insure that our clients are receiving the most client-centered practice available.