What are health literacy skills?
Health literacy skills are the cognitive and social skills you need to obtain, understand and apply information to promote or maintain good health. For example: knowing what constitutes healthy food and what does not, exercising and being physically active regularly. Knowing what contributes to a happy life, knowing the effects of alcohol and smoking, and knowing how to establish social relationships. These are skills you can use in today’s world, where there is an abundance of tempting but unhealthy food for sale. A world in which society and our social environment place high demands on us, and in which technology means that we are becoming less physically active. You can develop these skills by learning about these topics, talking about them with people who know about them, or doing and experiencing things yourself.
More attention to health literacy skills
At school, the basic skills of numeracy and language rightly receive a great deal of attention. The government sets learning objectives that schools must follow. When a child falls behind in numeracy or language, this quickly becomes clear from the test score. Parents and the school then soon take action to ensure improvement. But should we not also regard health literacy skills as basic skills?
Why are health literacy skills also basic skills?
Vivian explains: “Schools educate children so that they can participate in society. Numeracy and language are certainly important in this regard, but they are not enough. Health literacy skills are part of this too. How do I stay physically and mentally healthy? How do I keep all the balls in the air? How do I make time for relaxation? In today’s world, health literacy skills are no longer a luxury, but essential.”
A role for the school
Unfortunately, it cannot be taken for granted that all parents or caregivers pay attention to health literacy skills at home, Vivian explains: “If parents do not live healthily themselves or do not understand health-related information, for example because of language difficulties, how can they pass this on to their children? In addition to a lack of knowledge, families with low incomes do not always have money for healthy food or sports clothing. And in some families, parents already have so many balls to keep in the air that teaching their children health literacy skills takes too much time. As a result, these children spend even more time in front of the television or on their phones. They do not learn how important real physical relationships are to a healthy life.” School is the central place where these children can also be reached. Vivian says: “The great thing is that schools also benefit directly when children feel good about themselves.”
Also a responsibility of the school
According to Vivian, there are also other reasons why schools have a role to play: “Children and young people spend so much time at school. It would be very strange if schools did not play a role in teaching health literacy skills and creating a healthy learning environment. An environment where students can develop physically and motorically, are mentally resilient and have sufficient opportunities to relax.”