title: [Health literacy, a way to reduce social health inequalities].
abstract: Health Literacy (HL) is defined as «the knowledge, motivation, and competences to access, understand, appraise and apply health information in order to make judgments and take decisions in everyday life concerning health care, disease prevention and health promotion to maintain or improve quality of life». This concept begins to be recognized as a priority area for action at political level in Belgium. Indeed, a limited HL may affect health by leading, for example, with poorer management of chronic diseases, more hospital admissions and premature deaths. This paper addresses the question of HL evaluation, improvement interventions as well as the many challenges that remain in this area. HL seems fundamental to the development of better health management. It would allow patients to play a more active role in health care, to involve all health stakeholders, and to contribute to a more sustainable health system. Improving HL could allow better equal access to health care.e.
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences de la Santé Publique, Service Nutrition-Environnement-Santé. Département de Psychologie, Service de Psychologie de la Santé, Université de Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bragard
authors.affiliation: Département de Radiothérapie, CHU de Liège, Site Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: Ph A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Coucke
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences de la Santé Publique, Service Nutrition-Environnement-Santé, Université de Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pétré
authors.affiliation: Service de Psychologie de la Santé, Université de Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Etienne
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences de la Santé Publique, Université de Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guillaume
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans
keywords:  Chronic diseases ;  Health inequalities; Health literacy 