When I think of patients becoming more involved in their own health care I think of health literacy. If clients seeking out health information do not have a high degree of health literacy than it could have major consequences on their health.
 |
| Visual representation of health literacy |
After the class discussion I was left wanting to further explore the following topics in nursing literature.
1. What is the consumer health informatics shift? What are its implications for nursing practice?
2. What impact might one's health literacy have on their ability to search out reliable health information?
The
consumer health informatics (CHI) shift is the movement towards more consumer
involvement in health care (Lewis, 2007). The general public now has increased access
to their personal health information and has increased their participation in
decision making about their own health and the health of their family (Lewis,
2007). The internet has enabled health care consumers to take an increased
responsibility over their own health care and created a need for reliable
health information on the internet. The internet has empowered the general public
to take control over its own health (Lewis, 2007). With more individuals
accessing the internet for health information the role of nurses had evolved.
With
the consumer health informatics movement nurses role has evolved to include
facilitating client access to reliable internet resources to support improved
client decision making ( Lewis, 2007). Nurses’ role also extends to helping
clients and their families become better internet users and educate them of how
to find reliable health information (An, Hayman, Panniers, & Carty, 2007). In
community nursing the internet can be used for public health promotion (Lewis,
2007). According to Lewis (2007) nurses have an essential role in the design,
development and delivery of community interventions using the internet. The
internet may pose challenges related to health equity for community nurses.
The
internet has the potential to allow individuals to access their personal health
records, provide information and education about health care, and empower
individuals to take a more active role in their health; however, not all
individuals have equal access to the internet or equal health literacy (Lewis,
2007). People with higher education levels are more likely to use the internet
for health related purposes (An, Hayman, Panniers, & Carty, 2007). Health
literacy is used to describe a person’s ability to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information and services (An, Hayman, Panniers, &
Carty, 2007). The internet adds another layer of difficulty to health literacy
with having to navigate large amounts of information and decide what
information is reliable (An, Hayman, Panniers, & Carty, 2007). Groups at
risk for poor health literacy and access to the internet include the following:
the homeless, the poor, people with disabilities, and the elderly (VanBiervliet
& Edwards-Schafer, 2004). Improving health literacy related to the internet
and access to the internet for at risk population may be a job for the
community health nurse in the future.
Overall,
the consumer health informatics movement can empower individuals to take
control over their own health. Nurses’ role can extend to teaching the clients
how to find reliable health information on the internet.
Artifact: Modern Family
These video clips are from the popular television show Modern Family. They show how an increasing number of North Americans are using the internet to find health information and self-diagnosis. The clips also touch on the issue of cyberchondria.
Artifact: Dr. Mark Hyman on how to be an EMPOWERED patient
In this video Dr. Mack Hyman discusses the idea of people becoming empowered to take control over their own health.
References:
An, J., Hayman, L.L., Panniers, T., & Carty, B. (2007). Theory Development in Nursing and Healthcare Informatics: A Model Explaining and Predicting Information and Communication Technology Acceptance by Healthcare Consumers. Advances in Nursing Science, 30, 37-49. doi: 10.1097/01.ANS.0000286628.92386.40
Lewis, D. (2007). Evolution of consumer health informatics. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 25, 316. doi: 10.1097/01.NCN.0000299659.44271.47
VanBiervliet, A., & Edwards-Schafer, P. (2004). Consumer Health Information on the Web: trends, issues, and strategies. MedSurg Nursing, 13(2), 91-6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/nursing/docview/230527129/1411EE01B9C20C9F161/3?accountid=15115
No comments:
Post a Comment