[Public health literacy in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic emergency].

[Public health literacy in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic emergency]. Salud Publica Mex. 2020 Apr 18;: Authors: Lazcano-Ponce E, Alpuche-Aranda C Abstract Health literacy is the process of obtaining knowledge, motivation and individual competencies to understand and access information, express opinions and make decisions with respect to health promotion and maintenance. This applies in different contexts, environments, and throughout life. This conceptual perspective is very necessary in the face of the SARS-CoV-2 virus emergency. This virus produces the Covid-19 disease, which has become a pandemic of devastating effects not only healthwise, but also, importantly, from an economic, political and social point of view. This essay seeks to establish the scientific evidence-based elements that guide public policies for prevention and control. Some of these elements are: a) epidemiologic intelligence. This includes not only the strategy of public surveillance, but also sentinel and event-based surveillance, as it is impossible to actually identify all positive cases; b) Mitigating measures against the spread of the epidemic, such as social distancing and hygiene, washing hands, quarantine, restricting movement and using masks, among others; c) Measures to suppress transmission when the number of cases is very high, such as strict measures to stay at home; d) strengthening health services 'capacity for medical attention and improving h...
Source: Salud Publica de Mexico - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Tags: Salud Publica Mex Source Type: research