Health literacy—the ability to obtain, understand, and use health information to make informed decisions—is a critical component of individual and public health. In today’s complex healthcare environment, health literacy influences everything from managing chronic diseases to navigating insurance plans, adhering to prescriptions, and engaging in preventive care. Low health literacy is linked to poorer health outcomes, higher healthcare costs, and increased health disparities.
Improving health literacy is not just about educating patients—it’s also about reshaping healthcare systems to communicate more clearly and accessibly. As public health increasingly relies on individual behavior and decision-making, enhancing health literacy is essential for building healthier, more equitable societies.
What Is Health Literacy?
Health literacy goes beyond reading ability. It encompasses a range of skills, including numeracy (understanding numbers), digital literacy (navigating health websites or portals), and cultural competency (understanding and interpreting health messages within one’s cultural context). A health-literate individual can interpret prescription labels, understand medical instructions, evaluate health risks, and ask informed questions during a doctor’s visit.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 9 out of 10 adults in the U.S. have limited health literacy, meaning they struggle to use everyday health information. This gap is even more pronounced among older adults, individuals with lower education levels, immigrants, and people whose primary language is not English.
The Impact of Low Health Literacy
Low health literacy is associated with a range of negative outcomes. Individuals with limited health literacy are more likely to:
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Have chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma that are poorly managed.
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Miss appointments or not follow up on test results.
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Use emergency services more frequently due to complications from preventable conditions.
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Experience difficulty understanding medical terms and instructions, leading to medication errors.
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Be hospitalized more often and for longer periods.
At the population level, these challenges translate into higher healthcare costs and increased strain on healthcare systems. Studies estimate that low health literacy costs the U.S. healthcare system hundreds of billions of dollars annually due to avoidable hospitalizations, poor disease management, and inefficient use of resources.
Health Literacy and Health Disparities
Health literacy is both a cause and a consequence of health disparities. Marginalized communities—including racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, rural populations, and those with low income—often face barriers to education and healthcare access that limit their ability to develop and apply health literacy skills.
For example, a person who does not speak the dominant language may not understand medical advice, consent forms, or insurance materials. A parent with limited literacy may misread a child’s medication dosage. These obstacles contribute to poorer health outcomes and perpetuate inequality.
Addressing health literacy is a key strategy for advancing health equity. By tailoring communication and services to meet the needs of diverse populations, health systems can empower individuals to make informed choices and better manage their health.
Health Literacy During Public Health Crises
Health literacy becomes even more crucial during public health emergencies, such as pandemics or natural disasters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, people had to quickly understand complex and evolving information about virus transmission, testing, masks, vaccines, and treatment options.
Misinformation and disinformation spread rapidly on social media, often outpacing legitimate health guidance. Individuals with limited health literacy were more susceptible to false claims, conspiracy theories, or fear-driven decision-making. This resulted in vaccine hesitancy, poor compliance with preventive measures, and delayed care.
Public health messaging must be clear, consistent, culturally relevant, and accessible across different platforms and literacy levels. This includes using plain language, visual aids, and trusted community voices to convey key information.
The Role of Healthcare Providers
Healthcare providers play a central role in supporting patient health literacy. However, many professionals are not trained to recognize or address low health literacy in clinical practice. Patients may be reluctant to admit they don’t understand instructions or feel embarrassed to ask questions.
To counter this, providers can adopt communication techniques such as:
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Teach-back method: Asking patients to repeat instructions in their own words to confirm understanding.
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Plain language: Avoiding jargon and using simple, direct language when explaining health information.
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Visual aids: Using diagrams, models, or videos to demonstrate procedures or explain conditions.
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Active listening: Encouraging questions and listening without judgment.
Time constraints and workflow pressures in healthcare settings can make these practices challenging, but they are essential for improving adherence and outcomes.
Digital Health Literacy
As healthcare increasingly moves online—through patient portals, telehealth, and digital records—digital health literacy has become indispensable. Patients must now interpret lab results online, schedule virtual appointments, and manage medications through apps or websites.
However, not everyone has equal access to technology or the skills to use it. The “digital divide” disproportionately affects older adults, low-income individuals, rural communities, and people with disabilities.
Improving digital health literacy requires addressing both access and skills. This can include offering digital literacy training, ensuring materials are accessible to those with vision or hearing impairments, and designing user-friendly platforms with multilingual support.
Health Literacy in Schools and Communities
Health literacy should begin early—in schools, homes, and community programs. Including health topics in school curricula teaches students how their bodies work, how to read nutrition labels, and how to evaluate health information. These early lessons lay the foundation for a lifetime of informed decision-making.
Community organizations, libraries, and public health departments can offer workshops, outreach programs, and multilingual resources to reach people outside of traditional healthcare settings. Trusted community leaders and peers can be especially effective messengers in promoting health literacy.
Faith-based groups, workplaces, and social clubs can also be leveraged to disseminate accurate health information and foster discussion in comfortable, nonjudgmental environments.
Government and Policy Initiatives
Governments have a critical role in improving health literacy through legislation, funding, and leadership. In the U.S., the Affordable Care Act emphasized patient-centered care and required health insurance materials to be written in plain language. The Department of Health and Human Services developed the “National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy,” which outlines strategies to enhance communication, expand education, and engage stakeholders.
Policies should encourage:
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Inclusion of health literacy in professional education for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.
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Translation and interpretation services in clinical settings.
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Funding for community health workers and patient navigators who support health understanding.
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Evaluation tools that measure health literacy and inform system-wide improvements.
Measuring and Monitoring Health Literacy
To effectively address health literacy, we must be able to assess it. Standardized tools like the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) help researchers and providers identify literacy gaps and design appropriate interventions.
More recently, population-level surveys such as the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) assess a broader range of competencies, including navigating the healthcare system and social support for health. Tracking changes in these metrics over time can show the impact of public health campaigns and educational efforts.
Conclusion
Health literacy is more than a personal trait—it’s a public responsibility. When individuals can understand and act on health information, they are empowered to take control of their well-being, manage conditions effectively, and make informed decisions. When health systems and societies support health literacy, they create an environment where healthier choices are easier and more equitable.
Improving health literacy requires commitment across sectors—from healthcare and education to technology and government. It demands clear communication, cultural competence, community engagement, and policy reform.
In an era of rapid medical advances and complex healthcare systems, health literacy is not optional—it is essential. Strengthening it is one of the most effective ways to reduce disparities, improve outcomes, and build a healthier, more informed society for all.
