Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), pp. 196−203.
https://doi.org/10.14528/snr.2020.54.3.3057
Over the past thirty years, health literacy has received 
considerable attention across the globe.  The HLS-EU 
Consortium (Bauer, 2018) summarises the World Health 
Organization's (1998) definition of health literacy as 
a concept encompassing an individual's cognitive and 
social abilities in terms of recognising and applying 
useful health information. The situation the world 
is facing amidst the current pandemic has shown the 
importance of awareness-raising and the provision of 
information which is clearly comprehensible, accessible 
and useful in daily life. This is the only way to achieve 
a high level of awareness and responsibility which will 
enable individuals to take care of their own health, 
understand health instructions and orient themselves 
within the healthcare system when they need it. These 
are the key messages of health literacy at the level of an 
individual. An increasingly important health issue in 
Europe and beyond (Kickbusch, 2013; Kickbusch, et 
al., 2013), health literacy refers to the ability of people 
to meet the complex requirements of maintaining their 
health within modern society. 
In the past, the conceptual understanding of health 
literacy was strongly focused on the challenges associated 
with health treatment and the traditional role of the 
patient within the healthcare system, but over time and 
through in-depth investigation, this notion has evolved. 
Today, the concept goes well beyond the techniques of 
the acquisition of knowledge related to health within 
the healthcare system. It now incorporates the skills and 
abilities to search for health-related information, critically 
assess the information obtained, and integrate it into 
one's own life in the direction of maintaining one's health 
related to the health of the community (Sorensen, et al., 
2015). Along these lines, we interpret the development 
of the concept as one directed towards raising the health 
literacy of an individual or a population with the aim 
of promoting a responsible attitude towards one's own 
health and the health of the community, and primarily 
towards strengthening the patient's active role in the 
treatment process (Sørensen, et al., 2015). While raising 
the health literacy of individuals and the population, the 
strategy of patient treatment by healthcare providers 
must be aimed towards improving the self-efficacy of 
patients. In this regard, Batterham and colleagues (2016) 
and Lee and colleagues (2016) associate health literacy 
with the work of healthcare professionals and their 
attitude towards the patient, an attitude which should 
evolve from an authoritative approach to a collaborative 
one. A high level of health literacy is the foundation not 
only for a healthy daily life, but also for the management 
of potential chronic diseases, and represents the basis for 
seeking appropriate help within the healthcare system 
when needed. Sørensen (2016) stresses that health 
literacy is influenced not only by the information the 
patient obtains from the healthcare system but also by 
personal, situational, social and environmental factors. 
Personal factors include, for example, age, gender, race, 
socio-economic status, level of educational attainment, 
occupation, employment, income and general literacy 
(Parnell, 2015). Situational factors, on the other hand, 
include social support, family and peer influences, media 
use and one's physical environment (Rowlands, et al., 
2017), while social and environmental factors include 
one's demographic status, culture, language, as well as 
political forces, and social systems (Sørensen, 2016). 
Health literacy at the societal level
Despite the fact that European health policy 
makers devote increasing attention to the "health 
for all" principle and support the individual and 
the community in maintaining health, researchers 
Editorial / Uvodnik
Health literacy: the key to better health 
Zdravstvena pismenost: ključ do boljšega zdravja 
Tamara Štemberger Kolnik1, 2, *
1 Primary Healthcare Centre Ilirska Bistrica, Gregorčičeva 8, 6250 Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia
2 College of Nursing in Celje, Mariborska 7, 3000 Celje, Slovenia
* Corresponding author / Korespondenčni avtor: tamara.stemberger@gmail.com
Received / Prejeto: 30. 7. 2020
Accepted / Sprejeto: 10. 8. 2020
Štemberger Kolnik, T., 2020. / Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), pp. 196−203. 197
and experts note that the data on the state of health 
literacy in Europe are nevertheless scarce (Sorensen, 
et al., 2015; Paasche-Orlow, et al., 2018). Health 
literacy therefore poses an important challenge to 
health policies and practices across Europe. Sørensen, 
and colleagues (2015) believe that the approach to 
the development of a health-literate population at the 
national level requires the knowledge of population 
characteristics and a systematic, comprehensive 
national programme or strategy. 
Lower levels of individual or community health 
literacy are associated with poor health-related 
knowledge, failure to manage chronic diseases and 
frequent entries into the healthcare system (Rowsell, 
et al., 2015), resulting in higher costs (Hedelund 
Lausen, et al., 2018). The reasons for lower levels 
of health literacy cannot be attributed solely to 
individuals' lack of knowledge or motivation, nor 
to their incompetence. Instead, poor health literacy 
should be viewed as a social concept reflected in 
individuals' social conditions and the challenges they 
face in their current living and working environments 
(Bauer, 2018). The level of health literacy depends 
on communication within the healthcare system, 
the complexity of the healthcare system and a clear 
and simple navigation through the system. Clarity 
in health communication allows for a quick and easy 
reception of the provided health information, and its 
application in daily life, which is crucial for the self-
efficient management of health problems and fast 
navigation through the healthcare system (Schaeffer, 
et al., 2018). In the context of treating patients with 
chronic diseases, the World Health Organization 
(2013) cautions against focusing on acute episodes and 
hospital treatment, as this creates a patient dependent 
on the healthcare system. If we wish to raise the health 
literacy of the population and promote self-efficacy in 
the management of chronic diseases, treatment must 
include various specialists and different levels of the 
healthcare system all working together to achieve an 
active participation of the patient in the treatment 
process. Schaeffer and colleagues (2018) point out that 
healthcare systems are not yet ready for such treatment 
and for the growing need for the provision of credible 
information and support to patients in maintaining 
health or managing chronic diseases. In developed 
countries, healthcare systems are often too complex for 
the user, while the information patients receive within 
the system is often too complicated and provided in 
language that is difficult to understand (Kanj & Mitic, 
2009). These problems may also be accompanied 
with the high expectations of healthcare professionals 
who demand an active engagement of the patient in 
the process of treatment and rehabilitation. Health 
literacy is thus, on the one hand, a concept that is 
becoming increasingly important in modern society, 
and on the other hand also one associated with often 
insurmountable challenges faced by the individual 
(Schaeffer, et al., 2018). Therefore, the development 
of a health-literate society requires an integrated 
inter-ministerial approach which will allow for a 
vigorous action of the entire society in the direction 
of reinforcing the responsibility for one's own health. 
This process requires active engagement of the school 
system – through integration of health-related topics 
into school curricula –, of work organizations – 
through a responsible attitude towards the health of 
their employees –, as well as a responsible involvement 
of the healthcare system, and, not least, of policies and 
research institutions, as it is only through such joint 
action that a national strategy for enhancing the level 
of health literacy of the population can be developed 
(Brooks, et al., 2017).
Specific health literacy
Babnik and colleagues (2013) outline the development 
of the concept of health literacy in the following three 
key directions: (1) towards a predominantly medically-
oriented concept, which focuses on individuals as 
the users of the healthcare system in which they 
obtain health-related information (World Health 
Organization, 1998; American Medical Association, 
1999); (2) towards a broader approach focused on 
public health issues, which emphasises the dynamics of 
the relationship between the individual, the healthcare 
system and one's living and working environment 
(Mårtensson & Hensing, 2012; Sørensen, 2013), and (3) 
towards the development of interpretations of specific 
health literacy as interpretations of programmes 
intended for a specific population, whose aim is to 
promote functional health literacy in the field of the 
health needs of individuals related to chronic illnesses 
(Coffman, et al., 2012; Mullen, 2013;  Wawrzyniak, et 
al., 2013; Tzeng, et al., 2018). 
Specific health literacy is also associated with 
individual population groups, as each vulnerable group 
is characterised by certain specific features which 
need to be taken into account. In this context, the 
elderly represent a particularly vulnerable population 
group. What is especially important in facilitating 
the advancement of health literacy in this group is 
appropriate communication, taking into account 
the decline in cognitive abilities, and an appropriate 
response to the specific health needs of individuals 
(Brooks, et al., 2017). Another vulnerable group with 
equally distinct specific features is that of children and 
young people. Research shows that improving health 
literacy in early childhood is key to one's development 
and personal health (Guo, et al., 2018) in adulthood 
(Bröder, et al., 2017). Specific health literacy thus 
defines vulnerable groups as special groups of 
patients with specific health problems who often need 
healthcare services, which is often associated with 
lower levels of health literacy and a lower quality of 
life (Paasche-Orlow, et al., 2018).
Štemberger Kolnik, T., 2020. / Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), pp. 196−203.198
Instruments for enhancing health literacy
Health literacy is a lifelong process which can be 
enhanced through learning and can thus be seen as 
a measurable outcome of health education and health 
promotion. As with all forms of learning, any major 
differences in the teaching methods, media and 
content used will lead to different outcomes. There 
are two elements to the process of enhancing health 
literacy, namely: the provision of health information 
through more personal forms of communication, 
and the provision of health information through 
information media such as television, radio and 
modern forms of online media outlets (Nutbeam, 
2015). In such a flood of health-related information, 
an individual may find it extremely challenging to 
extract those bits of information which are credible, 
evidence-based and professionally supported. Modern 
sources of information often use health as a marketing 
strategy. In terms of personal health literacy, health 
literacy may be briefly defined as an individual's 
skills and abilities to obtain and apply health-related 
information (Nutbeam, 2000). 
The fact that the information people obtain and trust 
affects the level of health literacy (Tzeng, et al., 2018), 
is reflected in various areas. People with lower levels 
of health literacy are not aware of the importance of 
preventive check-ups and a healthy lifestyle and are not 
familiar with their health status (Morris, et al., 2006). 
Low levels of health literacy are associated with more 
frequent emergency medical visits and more frequent 
and prolonged hospitalisations (Baker, et al., 2002). 
Horvat and colleagues (2018) associate low levels of 
health literacy with inappropriate use of medicines, 
while Zarcadoolas and colleagues (2006) also 
mention the non-use or inappropriate use of health 
services, inadequate management of chronic diseases, 
irresponsible behaviour in emergency situations, 
poor health, lack of self-esteem and confidence, 
social inequality and reduction in personal and social 
expenses. 
Schiavo (2014) defines health communication 
as a tool which represents the path to the improved 
health literacy of the individual and the population. 
According to the author, health communication 
includes the use of human, multimedia and other 
communication skills and technologies for informing 
the public on health-related issues and presenting 
strategic plans within in the healthcare sector.
The purpose of health communication is to 
create unified linguistic, cultural and innovative 
communication, which is to be applied by the healthcare 
system and other media engaged in health promotion 
(Babnik & Štemberger Kolnik, 2013). Relying on 
various programmes, health communication is a 
planned process of influencing social changes which 
promote a change in the lifestyle habits of individuals 
and the community in the field of public health. As 
such, it can be used to enhance the health literacy of the 
population at the national level. Tools such as health 
promotion and health education are closely associated 
with public health practice and education or training 
(Simons-Morton, 2013) with the aim of promoting 
health in the context of socio-environmental changes 
or changes in personal health. Through unified health 
communication at all levels of social life, we can 
provide the patient with support in the event of a 
change in their lifestyle habits, and, in the long run, 
prevent the spread of unhealthy lifestyle habits. Health 
literacy is related to an individual's knowledge, critical 
awareness, contemplation and personal development 
in terms of making qualified decisions both in the 
private sphere and in society, where the individual 
can influence political decisions aimed at creating a 
healthy and supportive environment so as to improve 
quality of life (Sørensen, 2013).
The concept of health literacy can thus be defined as 
lifelong learning which engages the individual as well 
as the community in developing the opportunities 
and abilities to maintain their health and the health of 
the community. Within the healthcare system, nurses 
monitor the population and have the opportunity 
to offer guidance to vulnerable groups and patients 
with chronic diseases, engage in acute health-
related situations and carry out promotional activities 
aimed at supporting the individual and raising 
collective awareness for better health. At the level of 
primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, preventive 
programmes provide the platform for a wide range of 
activities directed towards raising the health literacy of 
individuals and the population. To create an orderly 
and sustainable healthcare system, it is essential to 
have healthcare professionals who are aware of the fact 
that a high level of health literacy is the key to having 
autonomous patients who know how to take care of 
their own health and are actively involved in treatment 
or rehabilitation. A highly health-literate population 
implies that everyone is able to make the best decisions 
when choosing health-related behaviour patterns and 
when entering the healthcare system. Given that the 
European Survey (Sørensen, 2013) found that the 
countries included in the survey show a low level of 
health literacy, which was also found in a smaller-scale 
survey conducted in Slovenia (Kozar, 2013), it should 
be noted that as healthcare professionals we need to be 
keenly aware of the fact that the patient in treatment 
may not understand the instructions received.
Slovenian translation / Prevod v slovenščino
V zadnjih tridesetih letih je bilo zdravstveni 
pismenosti v svetu namenjeno veliko pozornosti. 
Evropski konzorcij za zdravstveno pismenost (Bauer, 
2018) povzema definicijo Svetovne zdravstvene 
organizacije (World Health Organization, 1998), 
Štemberger Kolnik, T., 2020. / Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), pp. 196−203. 199
v kateri je zdravstvena pismenost definirana kot 
koncept, ki zajema kognitivne in socialne sposobnosti 
posameznika na področju prepoznavanja in uporabe 
koristnih zdravstvenih informacij. Situacija, s katero 
se sooča svet v času pandemije, je pokazala, kako 
pomembno je ozaveščanje ljudi ter posredovanje 
razumljivih in dostopnih informacij, uporabnih v 
vsakdanjem življenju. Le tako lahko pri posameznikih 
dosežemo visoko stopnjo ozaveščenosti in odgovornosti, 
ki jim omogoča, da znajo skrbeti za lastno zdravje, 
razumejo navodila s področja zdravja in se znajdejo 
v zdravstvenem sistemu, ko to potrebujejo. To so 
ključna sporočila zdravstvene pismenosti na ravni 
posameznika. Gre za vse pomembnejše zdravstveno 
vprašanje tako v Evropi kot tudi širše (Kickbusch, 
2013; Kickbusch, et al., 2013). 
Zdravstvena pismenost se nanaša na zmožnosti 
ljudi, da izpolnjujejo kompleksne zahteve za 
ohranjanje zdravja v sodobni družbi (Rowsell, et 
al., 2015). Konceptualno razumevanje zdravstvene 
pismenosti je bilo močno naravnano na izzive, 
povezane z zdravljenjem in tradicionalno vlogo 
pacienta v zdravstvenem sistemu, vendar se je s 
časom in poglobljenim proučevanjem tovrstno 
pojmovanje razširilo. Danes koncept presega tehnike 
pridobivanja znanj, povezanih z zdravjem znotraj 
zdravstvenega sistema. Razteza se na možnosti in 
znanja za iskanje informacij, pomembnih za zdravje, 
kritično presojo pridobljenih informacij ter njihovo 
povezavo z lastno življenjsko situacijo v smeri 
ohranjanja lastnega zdravja, povezanega z zdravjem 
skupnosti (Sørensen, et al., 2015). V skladu s tem 
razumemo razvoj koncepta v smeri učinkov dviga 
zdravstvene pismenosti posameznika ali populacije 
s ciljem spodbuditi odgovornost do lastnega zdravja 
in zdravja skupnosti, predvsem pa krepiti aktivne 
vloge pacienta v procesu zdravljenja (Sørensen, et al., 
2015). Ob dvigu zdravstvene pismenosti posameznika 
in populacije je ključnega pomena usmeriti strategijo 
obravnave pacienta s strani izvajalcev zdravstvenih 
storitev v izboljšanje samoučinkovitosti pacientov. 
Ob tem Batterham in sodelavci (2016) ter Lee in 
sodelavci (2016) z zdravstveno pismenostjo povežejo 
tudi delovanje zdravstvenih delavcev in njihov odnos 
do pacienta, ki naj bi se spreminjal iz avtoritativnega 
pristopa v sodelovalnega. Visoka stopnja zdravstvene 
pismenosti je temelj zdravega vsakdanjega življenja, 
obvladovanja morebitnih kroničnih obolenj ter 
podlaga za iskanje ustrezne pomoči v zdravstvenem 
sistemu, ko je to potrebno. Sørensenova (2016) 
poudarja, da na zdravstveno pismenost poleg 
informacij, ki jih pacient pridobi v zdravstvenem 
sistemu, vplivajo tudi osebni, situacijski, družbeni in 
okolijski dejavniki. Med osebne dejavnike spadajo na 
primer starost, spol, rasa, socialno-ekonomski status, 
izobrazba, poklic, zaposlovanje, dohodek in splošna 
pismenost (Parnell, 2015). Situacijske determinante 
zajemajo socialno podporo, družinske in vrstniške 
vplive, uporabo medijev in fizično okolje (Rowlands, et 
al., 2017), družbene in okolijske dejavnike pa opišemo 
kot demografski položaj, kulturo, jezik, politične sile 
in družbene sisteme (Sørensen, 2016). 
Zdravstvena pismenost na ravni družbe
Kljub vse večji pozornosti evropskih oblikovalcev 
zdravstvene politike, usmerjeni v »zdravje za vse« ter 
podporo posamezniku in skupnosti pri ohranjanju 
zdravja, raziskovalci in strokovnjaki ugotavljajo, 
da je podatkov o stanju zdravstvene pismenosti v 
Evropi malo (Sorensen, et al., 2015; Paasche-Orlow, 
et al., 2018). Zato zdravstvena pismenost predstavlja 
pomemben izziv za zdravstvene politike in prakse 
po vsej Evropi. Sørensen in sodelavci (2015) menijo, 
da pristop k razvoju zdravstveno pismene populacije 
na državni ravni zahteva poznavanje populacijskih 
značilnosti z oblikovanjem sistematičnega, celovitega 
nacionalnega programa oziroma strategije. 
Nizka stopnja zdravstvene pismenosti posameznika 
ali populacije je povezana s slabim zdravstvenim 
znanjem, neobvladovanjem kroničnih obolenj in 
pogostimi vstopi v zdravstveni sistem (Rowsell, et al., 
2015), pa tudi z višjimi stroški slednjega (Hedelund 
Lausen, et al., 2018). Razloge za nizko stopnjo 
zdravstvene pismenosti ne gre pripisati izključno 
pomanjkljivemu znanju ali motivaciji posameznika 
ter njegovi nekompetentnosti. Upoštevati jo je treba 
kot družbeni koncept, ki se odraža v družbenih 
razmerah, v katerih ljudje živijo, ter izzivih, s katerimi 
se soočajo v življenjski situaciji in v trenutnem okolju, 
v katerem živijo in delajo (Bauer, 2018). Pomembni 
dejavniki zdravstvene pismenosti so komunikacija v 
zdravstvenem sistemu, kompleksnost zdravstvenega 
sistema in razumljiva ter enostavna navigacija po 
njem. Razumljiva zdravstvena komunikacija omogoča 
hitro in enostavno sprejemanje podanih zdravstvenih 
informacij ter njihovo uporabo v vsakdanjem 
življenju, kar je ključnega pomena za samoučinkovito 
obvladovanje zdravstvenih težav in hitro navigacijo po 
zdravstvenem sistemu (Schaeffer, et al., 2018). Svetovna 
zdravstvena organizacija (2013) opozarja na obravnavo 
pacienta s kroničnimi obolenji, usmerjeno na akutne 
epizode in bolnišnično zdravljenje, kar ustvarja 
pacienta, odvisnega od zdravstvenega sistema. Za dvig 
zdravstvene pismenosti populacije in spodbujanje 
samoučinkovitosti na področju obvladovanja 
kroničnih bolezni je nujno v obravnavo vključiti 
različne strokovnjake in različne ravni zdravstvenega 
sistema, ki delujejo v smeri aktivne udeležbe pacienta v 
procesu zdravljenja. Schaefferjeva in sodelavci (2018) 
opozarjajo, da zdravstveni sistemi niso pripravljeni 
na tovrstno obravnavo ter naraščajoče potrebe po 
verodostojnih informacijah in podpori pacienta 
pri ohranjanju zdravja ali obvladovanju kroničnih 
obolenj. V razvitih državah so zdravstveni sistemi 
pogosto preveč kompleksni in za uporabnika zapleteni, 
Štemberger Kolnik, T., 2020. / Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), pp. 196−203.200
informacije, ki jih pacienti dobijo v zdravstvenem 
sistemu, pa prekompleksne in podane v uporabniku 
nerazumljivem jeziku (Kanj & Mitic, 2009). Na drugi 
strani so pogosto velika pričakovanja zdravstvenih 
delavcev, ki zahtevajo aktivno vključevanje pacienta 
v proces zdravljenja in rehabilitacije. Zdravstvena 
pismenost tako postaja po eni strani koncept, ki ima 
vse večji pomen v sodobni družbi, hkrati pa je povezan 
z izzivi posameznika, ki jim pogosto ni kos (Schaeffer, 
et al., 2018). Za razvoj zdravstveno pismene družbe 
je tako potreben integriran medresorni pristop, ki 
bi omogočil intenzivno delovanje celotne družbe v 
smeri krepitve odgovornosti do lastnega zdravja. V 
tem procesu odigrajo pomembno vlogo šolski sistem z 
vključevanjem zdravstvenih vsebin v učne programe, 
odgovornost delovnih organizacij do zdravja 
zaposlenih, odgovornost zdravstvenega sistema ter 
ne nazadnje odgovornost politike in raziskovalnih 
inštitucij, ki le skupaj lahko ustvarijo nacionalno 
strategijo za dvig zdravstvene pismenosti populacije 
(Brooks, et al., 2017).
Specifična zdravstvena pismenost
Babnik in sodelavci (2013) so razvoj koncepta 
zdravstvene pismenosti opredelili v treh ključnih 
smereh: (1) v smeri pretežno v medicino usmerjenega 
koncepta, ki se osredotoča na posameznika kot 
uporabnika zdravstvenega sistema, v katerem 
pridobiva informacije, povezne z zdravjem (World 
Health Organization, 1998; American Medical 
Association, 1999); (2) v smeri širšega pristopa, 
usmerjenega v javnozdravstvene probleme, ki 
poudarjajo dinamiko odnosa med posameznikom, 
zdravstvenim sistemom in okoljem, v katerem živi in 
dela (Mårtensson & Hensing, 2012; Sørensen, 2013), 
ter (3) v smeri razvoja razlag specifične zdravstvene 
pismenosti, ki predstavljajo razlage programov, 
namenjenih specifični populaciji za funkcionalno 
zdravstveno opismenjevanje na področju individualnih 
zdravstvenih potreb, povezanih s kroničnim obolenjem 
(Coffman, et al., 2012; Mullen, 2013; Wawrzyniak, et 
al., 2013; Tzeng, et al., 2018). 
Specifična zdravstvena pismenost se veže tudi 
na posamezno populacijsko skupino, saj ima vsaka 
ranljiva skupina posebnosti, ki jih je treba upoštevati 
ob delu z njo. Posebej ranljiva skupina prebivalstva 
so starejši. Za podporo pri dvigu nivoja zdravstvene 
pismenosti so v tej skupini še posebej pomembni 
primerna komunikacija, upoštevanje upada kognitivnih 
sposobnosti ter odzivanje na specifične, individualne 
zdravstvene potrebe (Brooks, et al., 2017). Otroci 
in mladi imajo kot posebna ranljiva skupina svoje 
posebnosti. Raziskovalci ugotavljajo, da je izboljšanje 
zdravstvene pismenosti v zgodnjem otroštvu 
ključnega pomena za razvoj in osebno zdravje (Guo, 
et al., 2018) v starejšem obdobju (Bröder, et al., 2017). 
Specifična zdravstvena pismenost opredeljuje ranljive 
skupine ali posebne skupine pacientov s specifičnimi 
zdravstvenimi problemi, ki večkrat potrebujejo storitve 
zdravstvenega sistema, kar je pogosto povezano z nižjo 
stopnjo zdravstvene pismenosti in nižjo kakovostjo 
življenja (Paasche-Orlow, et al., 2018).
Orodja za dvig zdravstvene pismenosti
Zdravstvena pismenost je vseživljenjski proces, ki 
se izboljšuje z učenjem in se lahko šteje kot izmerljiv 
izid zdravstvene vzgoje in promocije zdravja. Tako 
kot pri vseh oblikah učenja bodo pomembne razlike 
v učnih metodah, medijih in vsebini privedle do 
različnih rezultatov. Izboljšanje zdravstvene pismenosti 
vključuje dva elementa: posredovanje zdravstvenih 
informacij z bolj osebnimi oblikami komuniciranja 
ter posredovanje zdravstvenih informacij s pomočjo 
informacijskih medijev, kot so televizija, radio in 
sodobne oblike internetnih možnosti (Nutbeam, 
2015). V poplavi informacij, povezanih z zdravjem, 
je za posameznika velik izziv izluščiti tiste, ki so 
verodostojne, znanstvene in strokovno podprte. 
Sodobni viri informiranja zdravje pogosto uporabijo 
kot marketinško potezo. Z vidika individualne 
zdravstvene pismenosti lahko na kratko opredelimo 
zdravstveno pismenost tudi kot posameznikovo 
sposobnost in veščine, ki jih uporablja za pridobivanje 
in uporabo z zdravjem povezanih informacij 
(Nutbeam, 2000). 
Informacije, ki jih ljudje pridobivajo in jim zaupajo, 
vplivajo na stopnjo zdravstvene pismenosti (Tzeng, et 
al., 2018), kar se odraža na različnih nivojih. Ljudje z 
nižjo stopnjo zdravstvene pismenosti se ne zavedajo 
pomembnosti preventivnih pregledov in zdravega 
načina življenja ter ne poznajo svojega zdravstvenega 
stanja (Morris, et al., 2006). Nizka stopnja 
zdravstvene pismenosti je povezana s pogostejšimi 
obiski nujne medicinske pomoči ter s pogostejšo 
in daljšo hospitalizacijo (Baker, et al., 2002). Horvat 
in sodelavci (2018) nizko stopnjo zdravstvene 
pismenosti povezujejo z neprimerno uporabo zdravil, 
Zarcadoolas in sodelavci (2006) pa še z neuporabo 
ali neprimerno uporabo zdravstvenih storitev, 
neprimernim obvladovanjem kroničnih obolenj, 
neodgovornim ravnanjem v urgentnih situacijah, 
slabim zdravstvenim stanjem ljudi, pomanjkanjem 
lastnega ugleda in samozavesti, socialno neenakostjo 
ter racionalizacijo lastnih in družbenih stroškov. 
Schiavo (2014) definira zdravstveno komunikacijo 
kot orodje, ki predstavlja pot do boljše zdravstvene 
pismenosti posameznika in populacije. Zdravstvena 
komunikacija po avtorjevem mnenju zajema uporabo 
človeških, multimedijskih in drugih komunikacijskih 
spretnosti in tehnologij za informiranje o zdravstvenih 
vprašanjih ter podajanje strateških načrtov javnega 
zdravstva.
Štemberger Kolnik, T., 2020. / Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), pp. 196−203. 201
Namen zdravstvene komunikacije je, da se 
ustvari enotno jezikovno, kulturno in inovativno 
sporazumevanje, uporabno v zdravstvenem sistemu 
in drugih medijih, usmerjenih v promocijo zdravja 
(Babnik & Štemberger Kolnik, 2013). Opirajoč se na 
različne programe, postane zdravstvena komunikacija 
načrtovani proces vplivanja na družbene spremembe, 
ki spodbujajo spremembo življenjskih navad posameznika 
in skupnosti na področju javnega zdravja. Kot taka 
se lahko uporabi za dvig zdravstvene pismenosti 
populacije na nacionalnem nivoju. Orodja, kot so 
promocija zdravja, zdravstvena vzgoja in vzgoja za 
zdravje, so tesno povezana z javno zdravstveno prakso 
in izobraževanjem ali usposabljanjem (Simons-
Morton, 2013) s ciljem spodbujanja zdravja v okviru 
socialno-okolijskih sprememb ali spreminjanja 
osebnega zdravja. Z enotno zdravstveno komunikacijo 
na vseh nivojih socialnega življenja bomo podprli 
pacienta pri morebitnem spreminjanju življenjskih 
navad, dolgoročno pa preprečili širitev nezdravih 
življenjskih navad. Zdravstvena pismenost se opira na 
posameznikovo znanje, kritično zavest, kontemplacijo 
in človekov razvoj v smislu sprejema kvalificiranih 
odločitev tako na zasebnem področju kot v družbi, v 
kateri lahko posameznik vpliva na politične odločitve, 
usmerjene v ustvarjanje zdravega podpornega okolja 
za dvig kakovosti življenja (Sørensen, 2013). 
Koncept zdravstvene pismenosti tako lahko opredelimo 
kot nenehno učenje, ki vključuje posameznika in 
skupnost v razvoju možnosti in sposobnosti za 
ohranjanje lastnega zdravja ter zdravja skupnosti. 
Medicinske sestre spremljajo populacijo in imajo 
v zdravstvenem sistemu možnost usmerjati tako 
posamezne ranljive skupine kot paciente s kroničnimi 
obolenji, se vključevati v akutne situacije, povezane 
z zdravjem, in izvajati promocijske aktivnosti za 
podporo posamezniku ter za dvig kolektivne zavesti 
za boljše zdravje populacije. Preventivni programi 
tako na ravni primarne kot sekundarne in terciarne 
preventive omogočajo široko paleto aktivnosti za dvig 
zdravstvene pismenosti posameznikov in populacije. Z 
zavedanjem zdravstvenih delavcev, da je visoka stopnja 
zdravstvene pismenosti ključ do samoučinkovitih 
pacientov, ki znajo poskrbeti za lastno zdravje in se 
aktivno vključiti v zdravljenje ali rehabilitacijo, se 
lahko ustvarja urejen in vzdržen zdravstveni sistem. 
Visoko zdravstveno pismena populacija pomeni, da 
je vsakdo sposoben sprejemati najboljše odločitve, 
ko izbira vzorce vedenja, povezanega z zdravjem, 
in ko vstopa v zdravstveni sistem. Glede na to, da 
so z evropsko raziskavo (Sørensen, 2013) ugotovili, 
da v vključenih državah prevladuje nizka stopnja 
zdravstvene pismenosti, kar je bilo ugotovljeno tudi z 
manjšo raziskavo, izvedeno v Sloveniji (Kozar, 2013), je 
smiselno opozoriti, da se moramo zdravstveni delavci 
močno zavedati, da imamo v procesu obravnave 
pogosto pacienta, ki ne razume prejetih navodil.
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Cite as / Citirajte kot: 
Štemberger Kolnik, T., 2020. Health literacy: The key to better health. Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 54(3), 196−203. 
https://doi.org/10.14528/snr.2020.54.3.3057