Vme TV and UnitedHealthcare for a public education campaign to improve health literacy among Latinos

  Vme TV has launched a public education campaign to promote healthier lifestyles and improve health literacy among Hispanic Americans. The campaign, sponsored by UnitedHealthcare, consists of a series of video capsules offering health care tips focusing on the importance of health care literacy to help Hispanics learn more about key topics that are critical toachieving better health. These include preventive care, managing diseases prevalent among Hispanics, and what to consider when purchasing health insurance. The video capsules are currently airing within Vme TV’s regular programming through May 2015. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define health literacy as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” Low rates of health care literacy are linked to poor outcomes, including higher rates of rehospitalization and lower adherence to medical regimens. Low health-literacy rates are prominent among Hispanics. According to a National Center for Education Statistics study, more than 40 percent of Latino adults have a “below basic” level of health literacy, and only one in 25 – or 4 percent – is considered proficient. The Hispanic community continues to face large disparities when it comes to critical health issues, such as cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings 2014 report. Due to a lack of access to reliable Spanish-language information about their health and health care coverage, media outlets have become a primary resource for health information in the Hispanic population. “As a media company, Vme TV feels that it is our responsibility to ensure that the Latino community understands the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making sound decisions about their health care, from following a healthy diet and exercise regimen to evaluating health care options,” said Ralph Parkman, Vme TV’s vice president of marketing. “We are grateful to UnitedHealthcare for its support of this initiative to offer Hispanic Americans much needed health education resources to enhance their health literacy.” The UnitedHealthcare-sponsored campaign is one of many that Vme TV has launched with support from leading brands in the United States to provide trustworthy content that promotes success and well-being throughout the Hispanic-American community. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support Vme TV’s efforts to close the health disparities gap among Hispanics in the United States,” said Russ Bennett, vice president, UnitedHealthcare Latino Health Solutions. We share Vme’s goal of giving people access to information they need to ensure the best health care for themselves and their families. It is a great satisfaction to contribute our voice and Hispanic-specific health and wellness information resources that help Latinos live healthier lives.” In addition to health information, Vme TV offers viewers actionable content through a broad variety of financial and real estate news items. By offering a platform that bridges the language gap, Vme TV provides educational resources and helps develop a greater understanding of relevant issues to help Hispanics nationwide make informed decisions.