At Fortune’s Brainstorm Health conference in Dana Point, California, Dr. Michelle Gourdine, senior vice president of CVS Health and chief medical officer of CVS Caremark, highlighted a significant issue facing the U.S. healthcare system: the lack of health literacy among Americans. Gourdine revealed that 90 million Americans struggle with health literacy, meaning they find it challenging to gather, understand, and apply health information to improve their well-being due to the complexity of the healthcare system. Alarmingly, only 12% of U.S. adults are considered to have high health literacy.
The erosion of trust in the healthcare system has exacerbated this issue. Factors contributing to this mistrust include the COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization, and the high cost of medical care. Nikhil Bumb, managing director at FSG, noted that institutional trust is at an all-time low, further complicating efforts to improve health literacy.
Access to healthcare remains uneven, with disparities in resources like supermarkets, public transportation, and medical facilities. Gourdine pointed out that 25 million Americans are uninsured, and 50 million live below the poverty line. A striking study found a 20-year life expectancy gap between neighborhoods just five miles apart in some cities, underscoring the inequities in healthcare resources.
Gourdine emphasized that 80% of health determinants are non-medical, including factors such as environment, economy, education, and employment. This highlights the importance of public health initiatives in addressing these broader determinants of health. However, trust issues persist in public health, with many people turning to social media for health advice instead of professionals.
The inherent demands of healthcare also pose challenges. For example, procedures like mammograms require patients to trust medical professionals and navigate the complexities of potential unexpected costs. Dr. Shantanu Nundy of Accolade pointed out that these demands can be daunting, contributing to the overall crisis of trust and health literacy.
Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach, focusing on improving health literacy, rebuilding trust in healthcare institutions, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources