Literacy - Community Matters Toronto

Literacy is more than a basic ability to read and write. It is very important for the success of individuals in both their career and life. Strong literacy skills are linked to the probability of having a good job, decent earnings, and access to training opportunities. A population’s literacy skills also have a bearing on how well a country performs economically.

In Canada Health literacy is defined as “the ability to access, comprehend, evaluate and communicate information as a way to promote, maintain and improve health in a variety of settings across the life-course”. 80% of seniors (over 65yrs old seniors) do not understand the instructions written by a doctor. Average reading grade for adults is 8-9th grade (level 2).

Financial literacy is having the knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible financial decisions.Literacy levels are generally lower for Aboriginal people and Francophones.
In this section you will have all the links you need to know to improve your Literacy levels.

Literacy in Canada
Literacy Counts
Health Literacy
Recalls and Safety Alerts
World Health Organization: Health Literacy
Understanding Health Literacy
A good doctor listens to you (video)
How to prevent Antibiotic resistance (video)
Questions and Answers How to ask your doctor (video)
How to ask questions about medicines (video)
Questions to ask your doctor

Health Literacy and the Patient

Project Progress

Please check back later to:
Follow the links for evaluation information
Report on our participation in: A Canadian Diabetes Strategy Community-Based Program Summary Report 2011-2013 for the PHAC Ontario Regional Office

Health Passport:

March 8 – 50 passports have been completed

Diabetes and High Cholesterol are the main concerns
Most residents are satisfied with their health and lifestyle
Residents have set their health goals and see networks of support as the best way to meet their goals
Contact us to participate in this project
Exercise
Dance
Healthy Living Program Schedule

Healthy Living Resources

Healthy Living Web Sites:

There are many health web sites, use only legitimate Health information Websites when researching Health information and when researching for information , handouts and health promotion materials
Medscape The latest medical news, clinical trial coverage, drug updates, journal articles, CME activities & more on Medscape. A free resource for physicians
Mayo Clinic
Web MD Provides credible information, supportive communities and in-depth reference material about health subjects that matter to you. A source for original and timely health information as well as material from well known content providers.
Cancer Care Ontario
Physical Activity and Healthy Body Weight
Taking Action to prevent Chronic Disease
NCD Free A global social movement against NCDs