CERGAS Seminar "Health Literacy for the Individual, the Community and the Healthcare Organizations".
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According to the definition given by WHO in 2021 (WHO Health Promotion Glossary), Health Literacy represents the personal knowledge and competencies that accumulate through daily activities, social interactions and across generations. Personal knowledge and competencies are mediated by the organizational structures and availability of resources that enable people to access, understand, appraise and use information and services in ways that promote and maintain good health and well-being for themselves and those around them.
This definition is referred not only to the individuals’ capacity of taking care of his own health, so representing an instrument for the emancipation of citizens in the healthcare and social field (individual HL), but also as a key element of organizational clarity/transparency, capacity building and alliance between (health) organizations and citizens - (sometimes) users - (rarely) patients, the so-called Organizational Health Literacy (OHL)
More recently, HL is becoming also an advocacy means (and tool) for the development of competent communities (public HL) in the field of human rights: since health is a human right, all the measures and interventions aimed at increasing (promoting, preventing, safeguarding) health thereby contribute to protection of this right.
In the modern understanding of health, that is the ability to adapt and self-manage in the face of social, physical, and emotional challenges, health can gain many favorable perspectives and features from the development of Health Literacy (HL): giving people powerful tools to navigate societies and, more specifically, health and social care systems and services, put them on the right way to reach their “possible” welfare.
HL can be a powerful tool to close the gap between what health care professionals know and what ordinary people understand.
Speaker:
Born in Montecatini Terme on November 17, 1965, Guglielmo Bonaccorsi is an Italian physician, university professor, and researcher currently active at the University of Florence. From his early years, he demonstrated strong aptitude for study and research: he earned his scientific high school diploma with top marks, winning several prestigious awards and scholarships. In 1992, he graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Florence, obtaining his degree with full marks and honors, along with his medical license.
Subsequently, he pursued a specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, completing it in 1997 with high honors. During this period, he gained valuable formative and practical experience in numerous healthcare settings; he also served as a medical officer cadet during his military service, further enriching his clinical and organizational skills.
His professional career is distinguished by an intense academic and research activity. Since 1998, he has been involved in significant epidemiological and health projects, focusing on issues such as AIDS prevention, vaccinations, the epidemiology of infectious and chronic diseases, public health promotion, and, more recently, health literacy, which has become his main research interest in recent years.
His scientific work is documented by numerous articles in international journals, participation in both national and international scientific committees, collaborations with prominent institutions, and leadership roles in various areas of public health.
Today, Guglielmo Bonaccorsi is a tenured Associate Professor and directs the School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine. He has been, and continues to be, responsible for undergraduate courses, master's programs, and training pathways for future healthcare professionals, contributing significantly to education and research in health promotion, prevention, hygiene, and the organization of healthcare services.
His already long career has established him as a leading reference for the study, experimentation, and implementation of interventions in health literacy at both the Italian and European levels, as he is constantly engaged in developing innovative strategies for health protection and promotion.
Meeting ID: 977 6484 4913
Passcode: 036517