The document is an A-Z guide that defines and explains common health and medical terms to improve health literacy. It provides simple explanations of terms ranging from acute to zinc in alphabetical order. The purpose is to help readers understand basic healthcare, medical tests, conditions, and treatments. It encourages readers who do not understand something their healthcare provider says to ask questions rather than searching online.

1. Health Literacy
The
to
of

2. If you think that acute is a compliment and MRIs
are only found in alphabet soup, this A-Z of Health
Literacy is a great start for you. We’re here to make
sure you know everything about the healthcare you
receive with us, so if you’re not sure of anything your
health team tell you, before jumping on Dr Google,
make sure to ask us, we’re here to help.
In the meantime, here’s an A-Z
to get you started.

3. Acute
An illness that
usually starts
quickly and
needs urgent
treatment.

4. BiopsyB
A procedure
where body
tissue is
removed and
sent away
for tests.

5. CatheterC
A tube that drains
wee from your bladder
into a bag.

6. DiabetesD
After we eat, our bodies break the
food down into sugars. In most
people, these sugars turn into energy.
But in people with diabetes, many of
these sugars don’t turn into energy —
instead, they build up in the blood.
That’s why people with diabetes have
high blood sugar levels.

7. ExerciseE
Moving your
body. Walking,
running and
swimming
are all types
of exercise.
Exercise is
healthy for your
body.

8. You may be asked questions
about your family’s history.
Some diseases run in the
family so it is important to tell
your doctor about illnesses
that other members of your
family have had.
Family historyF

9. GlucoseG
Glucose is a type of sugar
that your body makes
when it breaks down
food. In most people,
glucose is turned into
energy. If you eat too
much of it, it will be
stored as body fat and
lead to health problems.

10. Hormones are things
in your body that are like
messengers. They are made in
one part of your body and then
travel to other parts of your body
to tell your organs how to do
their job.
HormoneH

11. If someone has diabetes,
he or she has trouble with
a hormone called insulin.
Insulin, which is made in the
pancreas, lowers the level
of glucose (a type of sugar)
in the blood. It does this by
helping glucose enter the
body’s cells.
InsulinI

12. JuvenileJ
A young person
who is not old
enough to be an
adult yet.

13. Is a hard stone that
is made in your
kidney and can
go down through
your urinary tract and
make it painful to wee. This
could be caused by not drinking
enough water.
K Kidney stone

14. This is the type of sugar found in
milk. Sometimes your body can’t
process milk, cheese or yoghurt
and you may feel sick in the
tummy or have a lot of gas.
LactoseL

15. Is a cylinder-shape machine
with a tunnel in the middle
that takes internal photos of
your body.
MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)M

16. NauseaN
Is the feeling you get when your
tummy doesn’t feel well. It can
feel like you want to vomit.

17. ObeseO
Obesity means being severely
overweight. It means that you
have excess body fat that may
impact of your health.

18. A prognosis is
your doctor’s
prediction of
the future of
your illness.
PrognosisP

19. Your quality of life
is a combination
of your health,
comfort level,
and happiness.
Your quality of life
can improve with
better health and
support networks.
Quality of LifeQ

20. RetinaR
Your retina is in the back of
your eye. When you look at
something, light hits the back
of your eye and sends the
message to your brain of
what you are looking at.

21. SinusitisS
Sinusitis is an infection in the air
spaces around the bones of your
face and around your nose. When
you have a cold or an allergy, the
mucus (snot) in your nose might
not drain properly and can block
and trap germs in the sinuses
which can cause sinusitis.

22. Your thyroid is a
butterfly-shaped
body part at the
base of your neck. It
sends out hormones
that control the
way your body
uses energy. Your
thyroid looks after
breathing, heart
rate, body weight,
muscle strength and
much more.
ThyroidT

23. The uvula is the dangly thing
at the back of your throat
and closes your nose off
when you swallow. The soft
bit on the roof of your mouth
and your uvula stops your
food going up your nose.
UvulaU

24. A needle or a liquid
given to you to protect
you against diseases.
You might hear that a
vaccination can make you
‘immune’ which means
that you are less likely to
catch the disease. The
vaccination will kickyour
body’s immune system
into gear and protects you
against future attacks of
the disease.
VaccinationV

25. If you hear a whistling
air sound when you
breathe, this is called
wheezing. If your
breathing tubes get
too narrow, you might
have trouble breathing
and a doctor may listen
to your chest using a
stethoscope to check
for wheezing.
WheezingW

26. X-RayX
An X-Ray is a picture of the
inside of your body. The
X-Ray machine is used to
take the pictures and your
doctor will look for problems
with your bones and even
some of your other body
parts like your lungs.

27. Yeast is a super
small common
fungus (like a
germ) that is found
on everyone’s
body. It can turn
into an infection
in warm, damp
parts of the body
including under
arms, mouths and
between your legs.
YeastY

28. ZincZ
Is an important part
of your body make up
and can help with your
immune and digestive
system, help control
diabetes, reduce stress
levels and help you heal.

29. Now you know the A-Z of health
terms, make sure if you have any
questions, talk to your nurse,
doctor, or call 13HEALTH.
#healthiertogether
www.health.qld.gov.au/darlingdowns
3418.v1 | 09/2017 | Images © Shutterstock