The field of health literacy has evolved from early efforts that focused on individuals to its current recognition that health literacy is a multidimensional team and system function. Health literacy includes system demands and complexities as well as individual skills and abilities. While communicating in a health-literate manner is truly important for everyone, it can be especially important for those with mental or behavioral health issues and for the systems and teams that interact with them and treat these individuals. The purpose of the workshop, which was held on July 11, 2018, in Washington, DC, was to explore issues associated with effective communication with individuals with mental or behavioral health issues and to identify ways in which health literacy approaches can facilitate communication. In particular, the workshop aimed to gain a better understanding of how behavioral health and mental health concerns can adversely affect communications between providers and patients and their families. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

The field of health literacy has evolved from early efforts that focused on individuals to its current recognition that health literacy is a multidimensional team and system function. Health literacy includes system demands and complexities as well as individual skills and abilities. While communicating in a health-literate manner is truly important for everyone, it can be especially important for those with mental or behavioral health issues and for the systems and teams that interact with them and treat these individuals. The purpose of the workshop, which was held on July 11, 2018, in Washington, DC, was to explore issues associated with effective communication with individuals with mental or behavioral health issues and to identify ways in which health literacy approaches can facilitate communication. In particular, the workshop aimed to gain a better understanding of how behavioral health and mental health concerns can adversely affect communications between providers and patients and their families. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

The first graduate text to address health literacy in the aging population Low health literacy is a critical issue among adults, with over one third found to have difficulty understanding such basic information as that found on prescription bottles. This is the first graduate textbook to address key health literacy issues as they affect the health and wellbeing of the aging population. Embracing a topic spanning numerous disciplines, it features a dynamic, multicontextual systems approach and includes contributions from renowned scholars and practitioners in gerontology, public health, social work, nursing, and other related fields. The text emphasizes increasing health literacy among older adults through the use of technological tools and features, the most current research, and evidence-based programs and practices. The book provides expansive coverage of the intersection of technology and health literacy, highlighting innovative approaches and discussing how to use technology with resource-limited groups. The text gives special consideration to rural, impoverished, culturally diverse, and lowliteracy elders and presents gold standard intervention programs and models. Also covered are the policy implications of programs focusing on increasing health literacy and future directions for meeting the Healthy People 2020 initiative. Case studies, review questions, learning objectives, and supplemental PowerPoint presentations will reinforce learning. Key Features: Provides a one-of-a-kind, multidisciplinary survey of the key health literacy issues of older adults Focuses on increasing health literacy across the disciplines Addresses a priority area of Healthy People 2020 Incorporates research and practice from gerontology, psychology, public health, social work, sociology, medicine, and nursing Includes case studies, review questions, learning objectives, and PowerPoint slides for assisting instructors

The field of health literacy has evolved from one focused on individuals to one that recognizes that health literacy is multidimensional. While communicating in a health literate manner is important for everyone, it is particularly important when communicating with those with limited health literacy who also experience more serious medication errors, higher rates of hospitalization and use of the emergency room, poor health outcomes, and increased mortality. Over the past decade, research has shown that health literacy interventions can significantly impact various areas including health care costs, outcomes, and health disparities. To understand the extent to which health literacy has been shown to be effective at contributing to the Quadruple Aim of improving the health of communities, providing better care, providing affordable care, and improving the experience of the health care team, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a public workshop on building the case for health literacy. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop, and highlights important lessons about the role of health literacy in meeting the Quadruple Aim, case studies of organizations that have adopted health literacy, and discussions among the different stakeholders involved in making the case for health literacy.

This invaluable text provides a rigorous guide to the assessment and evaluation of treatment programs through a multi-disciplinary, holistic model of care. It highlights issues of race, social justice, and health equity, and offers real-world guidance to effect community healing and transformation. Written by a researcher and experienced evaluator, the book begins by outlining the theories and research which frame our understanding of substance misuse, and upon which treatment programs are based. It then examines the principles which should underpin any evaluation, before detailing the practical various steps required to conduct an evaluation, from data collection to outcome measurement. The book shows, too, through detailed and effective evaluation, policy changes can be made and treatment programs improved. Including practical examples of evaluation and assessment throughout, and also assessing the numerous social systems which can support recovery, the book builds to a four-step public health model for establishing sustainable treatment programs. In an era where substance misuse has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and beyond, this book will be essential reading for anyone involved in public health policy and practice in this important area.