Health Knowledge Gap

Most people do not understand proper health principles. The lack of health knowledge appears across families and social circles. The article frames this knowledge gap as something that must be bridged through education. Individuals with limited health literacy are more likely to develop chronic illnesses, experience complications, engage in fewer preventive behaviours, and fail to adhere to prescribed treatments. Limited health literacy is associated with greater reliance on emergency services and higher healthcare costs. Limited health literacy is associated with susceptibility to health misinformation and poorer health decisions. The challenges of limited health literacy are especially acute in low-income countries, where poverty and poor health are closely interconnected.