| Popis: |
In this chapter reflections on health literacy in the European and Colombian context help us to consider health literacy outside Western borders and how health literacy is reflected in public policies in Europe and Colombia. There is an ongoing debate regarding the conceptualization and use of terminology in health literacy. Consensus is particularly lacking regarding its relation to health education and health promotion. The European Union witnessed an effort to develop public policies with a focus on health literacy that was channeled by the European Commission (in countries like Scotland, Wales, Austria and Switzerland also NGOs such as NALA and WHO, the various patient organizations and associated bodies of the EU). Colombia, on the other hand, has several policies that very generally mention health education without explications on how it should be developed. It is important to articulate the theory and practice of health literacy and how it relates to health education. In order to do so, there is a need to look into issues such as strengthening the training of health professionals in education, improving educational methodology in health education, better aligning the education that is suggested and the one that is practiced, taking into account the particularities of the contexts in which health literacy is sought to improve, and reflecting what health and what education policies and practice aim to promote. In any given context, neither health literacy nor health education can be uncritically implemented without considering the local demands, expectations and developments. This chapter seeks to frame the ongoing debate in order to develop public policies that contribute to healthier and more equitable societies. |
