Orange County NC Website
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<br /> 15 <br /> <br />Figure 11: Where Survey Respondents Reported Getting <br />Most of their Health Related Information <br />Access to Health Information and Health Literacy <br />Health literacy is defined as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and <br />understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions21. <br /> According to the Orange County Literacy Council, 12% (8,615) of Orange County residents have <br />literacy needs and most of these individuals live in the county’s unincorporated areas. <br /> <br /> Almost half of Limited English <br />Proficiency (LEP) adults have nine <br />years or less of education, and 64% <br />do not have a high school degree22. <br /> <br /> The majority of survey respondents, <br />regardless of income status, have <br />access to the internet (through a <br />computer, smart phone, or tablet), <br />whereas, only 1% of survey <br />respondents stated that they did not <br />have access to the internet (see <br />figure 11). <br /> <br />In response to 2011 health literacy concerns, Healthy Carolinians of Orange County, in conjunction with <br />the Orange County Board of Health hosted a health literacy training to educate providers on the <br />importance of being health literate when it comes to servicing patients. UNC Healthcare employee <br />trainers trained 46 participants in the areas of plain language, readability level when it comes to creating <br />and using materials, and the teach back method. <br /> <br />The Social Determinants of Health population health dashboard (located on page 16) provides county <br />level data on access to care as it relates to affordability and insurance, resources and prevention, and <br />health literacy.