Year 10 Health & PE · Health and Physical Education · 12m read

Health Literacy — Evaluating Health Information

Health advice is everywhere online — some excellent, some dangerous. Health literacy is the skill of finding, judging and using good information.

Learning objective: Evaluate the credibility of health information and services.

By the end of this lesson you can:

• I can define health literacy.
• I can evaluate health sources using criteria.
• I can identify reliable health services.

Health claims need a lab test. Before trusting a new product, scientists test it. Before trusting a health claim online, run it through your own "lab test" — who said it, what's the evidence, who profits?

Health Literacy — Evaluating Health Information

HEALTH LITERACY:
• The ability to access, understand, evaluate and apply health information to make decisions.

EVALUATING SOURCES:
• Who wrote it? Qualifications? Purpose (inform or sell)? Date? Evidence cited? Balanced?
• Prefer government (healthdirect, Better Health Channel), universities, recognised health organisations.

RED FLAGS:
• Miracle cures, selling products, personal anecdotes as proof, no references.

HEALTH SERVICES:
• GP, school wellbeing staff, headspace, Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), pharmacists, sexual health clinics.

| Check | Red flag |
|---|---|
| Source | Anonymous or selling something |
| Evidence | Testimonials only |
| Language | "Miracle", "cure", "detox" |
| Date | Outdated |
| Consensus | Contradicts health authorities |

Key ideas at a glance

• Use credible sources: .gov.au, health services.
• Check for bias: Sponsored?
• Cross-check: Multiple sources.
• Ask a professional: GP, pharmacist.

Worked example (Medium)

An influencer claims a detox tea "flushes toxins". How would you evaluate it?

1. Purpose. Selling a product.
2. Evidence. No scientific evidence; liver and kidneys already remove toxins.
3. Verdict. Not credible.

Answer: Commercial motive and no evidence — unreliable.

Worked example (Medium)

Evaluate a TikTok claiming a supplement "melts belly fat".

1. Source. Influencer with affiliate link.
2. Evidence. No studies.
3. Language. Exaggerated claim.
4. Verdict. Not credible.

Answer: Biased, unsupported — not credible.

Common mistakes

• Trusting popularity Likes are not evidence. Fix: Check expertise and evidence.

Practice questions

1. Which is most credible?

   1. A celebrity post
   2. The Better Health Channel
   3. A product advertisement
   4. An anonymous forum

   (1 marks)

2. Name one free youth mental health service.

   (2 marks)

3. Which source is most credible?

   1. Influencer ad
   2. Government health website
   3. Anonymous forum
   4. Product label

   (1 marks)

4. List two red flags in health information.

   (2 marks)

Summary

• Health literacy: access, understand, evaluate, apply.
• Check author, purpose, evidence, date.
• Know reliable services.
• Check source, evidence, bias.