October is Health Literacy Month, a time to recognize the importance of finding, understanding, and using health information to make informed decisions. Health literacy isn’t about how smart someone is, it’s about having the knowledge and confidence to navigate everyday health situations, from reading a nutrition label to understanding a medical diagnosis or asking questions during a doctor’s appointment.
When health information is confusing, it’s easier to feel overwhelmed. But improving health literacy can lead to better communication with healthcare providers, safer medication use, and healthier choices for ourselves and our families.
With internet access always at our fingertips, it’s important to know how to spot trustworthy health information online
Here are some online examples and what to watch out for:
· Extension services: Any state land-grant university and extension service are good resources. Look for websites that end in .edu to make sure they are from a higher education system. Check out the Illinois Extension Health website where you can read, watch, and engage to improve your health at any age. Learn more at https://extension.illinois.edu/food
· Online health: Professional organizations and clinics, like the Academy of Pediatrics or Mayo Clinic, can provide reliable health information online. Look for websites that end in .org to ensure it is from a reliable source.
· Artificial intelligence (AI): AI, like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, sources information. Some of it may be reliable and some is not. Check where AI got the information and go to the source directly. AI should not be used to ask personal medical questions.
· Social Media: Always check who posted the content and where their sources come from. If they use reliable sources, the information is more likely to be trustworthy. If they are posting about an individual experience, it may not apply to you.
If you are concerned about anything related to your health, reach out to your Primary Care Provider (PCP). While the internet can help us learn more, it cannot treat medical issues. This month, try learning more about your health using a reliable digital media source.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.