Health Literacy, Challenges and Opportunities in the Era of Misinformation

Overview

Health literacy plays a critical role in how patients access, understand, and use health information to make decisions about their care. In Canada, nearly half of adults have literacy skills below a high school level, creating significant barriers to navigating the healthcare system and managing chronic conditions.

In this course, Dr. Judy King explores the impact of health literacy on respiratory care and examines how misinformation and disinformation are influencing patient beliefs and behaviors in the modern digital landscape.

Living with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD requires patients to interpret complex information, coordinate multiple healthcare interactions, and manage ongoing self-care. When health literacy is limited, these tasks can become overwhelming and may negatively affect health outcomes.

This session, hosted by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, explores the psychological factors that influence how people process health information, including cognitive biases, confirmation bias, and group dynamics, which can make individuals more vulnerable to misinformation. With the rise of social media, influencers, and AI-generated content, healthcare professionals face new challenges in helping patients identify credible sources and make informed decisions.

Dr. King discusses practical strategies clinicians can use to strengthen patient understanding and build trust, including:

• Using clear, accessible language and avoiding unnecessary jargon

• Auditing and improving patient education materials

• Engaging patients and families in the development of educational resources

• Practicing reflective communication and addressing personal biases

• Using prebunking strategies to proactively help patients recognize misinformation

By improving communication practices and strengthening health literacy, healthcare providers can help patients better manage their health, navigate complex systems, and resist misleading health information.

This course highlights the importance of critical thinking, compassionate communication, and collaborative care in promoting safer and more effective healthcare.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the concept of health literacy and its impact on patient outcomes

2. Recognize how misinformation and disinformation influence patient decision-making

3. Identify common cognitive biases that affect health communication

4. Apply strategies to improve clarity and accessibility in patient education

5. Implement practical approaches to support health literacy and trust in clinical practice

Audience

This course is designed for healthcare professionals involved in patient education, chronic disease management, and respiratory care who want to strengthen their communication strategies in the era of misinformation.

This course may be particularly relevant for:

• Physiotherapists and physiotherapy students

• Respiratory therapists

• Nurses and nurse practitioners

• Physicians

• Occupational therapists

• Speech-language pathologists

• Healthcare educators and clinical instructors

• Other allied health professionals working with individuals with chronic respiratory conditions

Clinicians who regularly provide patient education, self-management support, or health information will benefit from learning practical strategies to improve health literacy, build trust with patients, and address misinformation in clinical practice.

About the Presenter

Dr. Judy King, PhD, MHSc (HCP), BHSc (PT), University of Ottawa