Improved health literacy in patients could save EU governments millions

IMPROVEMENTS IN health literacy have the potential to save EU governments hundreds of millions annually, according to research experts.

People who were health literate used 33 per cent less of health services than those who were not, president of the European Patients’ Forum, Anders Olauson, told a meeting at the European Parliament last week.

Health economists estimate that low health literacy in the US costs the healthcare system there between $106 billion (€85 billion) and $238 billion (€193 billion) annually.

Meanwhile, a Swiss study has found that poor health literacy costs 1.5 billion Swiss francs (about €1 billion), or 3 per cent of the health budget annually.

The health literacy of a population is determined by overall literacy levels and by people’s ability to understand and act upon preventative or therapeutic health information.

Director of the Global Health Programme at the Graduate Institute of Geneva, Prof Ilona Kickbusch, said health literacy would be improved by targeting the communications skills of health workers; by ensuring health systems and structures were easy to understand; and by improving literacy levels generally.

Irish MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher said health literacy was the key to better health. “Member states spend between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of their budget on healthcare.

“However, even in times of financial austerity, I would hope health literacy funding is something that will not be cut because it helps ensure resources are used efficiently by empowered citizens.”

However, Prof Helmut Brand of the International School for Public Health at the University of Maastricht said improved health literacy would not necessarily translate into big savings.

He said: “It may be that with patients who are health literate, they become more critical which may mean they take more time, ask more questions and may be more expensive, ultimately. But it’s fair. What price can you put on reducing human suffering?”

The debate coincided with the announcement last week of Ireland’s participation in a Europe-wide survey to determine health literacy levels.

The study’s lead investigator in Ireland, Dr Gerardine Doyle, said the limited research available in Ireland showed up a real issue in the area.

She said improvements in health literacy would reduce pressure on health services. “There’s very clear evidence that shows people who have low levels of literacy have higher levels of hospital admittance through emergency departments, are admitted more frequently and they use an inefficient mix of services, which is more costly.”