Ignorance isn't always bliss

doi:10.1136/bmj.39346.489583.3A

BMJ 2007;335:628 (29 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.39346.489583.3A

Letters

Health equity for all

Ignorance isn't always bliss

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

I am struck by the global absence of a debate about health literacyin achieving health equity for all.¹ Patients (users) in allcountries have a right to information about health. This isenshrined in the constitution of the World Health Organizationof 1946. If we are to share our knowledge we need to share acommon language. Up to now advocates of health literacy havesuggested we remove technical language—a sort of dumbingdown.

I propose that we give up our hold on medical information andmake it available to all from primary school on—this wouldentail a massive effort by government, medics, and educationaliststo re-package the information, but it's worth looking at. Bydoing this we would be educating children about the social,political, geographical, and "medical" (infectious, degenerative,etc) causes of disease, and we would be altering presently drysubject areas such as history, geography, and . . . [Full text of this article]

Hugh van't Hoff, GP and educationalist

May Lane Surgery, Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4JN

clogs@doctors.org.uk