This is Health Education Week sponsored by Society
for Public Health Education. The theme is Adolescent
Health. We take this opportunity to applaud the teens in our studies on
maternal health literacy. A study from the Center for Health Literacy
Promotion and University of Washington reported in the September 2012
edition ofMaternal Child Health
Journal found
that pregnant and parenting teens participating in home visitation programs
started at a significant disadvantage on almost every indicator of maternal
health literacy, that is, ability
to use information and services in ways that maintain or enhance health.
And the teens made gains in the
first six months of home visiting to nearly catch up with their more
experienced counterparts. With support and education they became empowered as
managers of personal and child health and healthcare. In so doing, they planted
the seeds for a healthy adulthood for themselves and their babies. |