Frequently in the media we hear that technology will change how patients access our health care system and how it will change the interaction between providers and with patients. A new report on health literacy sheds some light on how education and literacy skills will impact Canada’s ability to create a more interactive system.

“Health Literacy in Canada 2008: A Healthy Understanding”, a report from the Canadian Council on Learning, is significant in its finding that 60% of Canadians do not have the skills to adequately manage their health or health care needs. It reports that 80% of seniors have low levels of health literacy, meaning that their individual ability to understand and use information related to their health is lacking. Dr. Paul Cappon, president of the CCL has said that health illiteracy adds billions to annual health care costs.

It seems likely that for at least one more generation, the biggest benefit of using technology in health care may need to come from providers and not patients. This shouldn’t eliminate the opportunity for various groups to develop IT systems that allow literate and techno-savvy individuals from educating themselves and monitoring a variety of health conditions but the reality for now is that the very people who could benefit the most from improved education about their disease are the ones least likely to have the necessary health literacy.

However, a report from an expert panel of the Canadian Public Health Association pointed to a nine year old Ottawa program for people newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, The Centretown Community Health Centre’s diabetes education program, as an example of a promising initiative aimed at helping people take care of themselves and reach people before they have complications. The program is based on a model that attempts to empower people in self-management.

But time marches on and a program begun in 1999 hardly seems to be an “initiative” after nine years. With growing numbers of elderly over the next few decades, many of whom are already in their 60s and not necessarily “health literate”, there is an urgent need to create educational programs and support for these individuals.

Looking to technology to assist cost control for this segment of the population may not be reasonable and low tech solutions such as group learning and one on one teaching may be necessary for many patients for at least the next twenty years.

It may be helpful to consider gradual mechanisms by which the “young elderly” can be assisted in developing health literacy skills.