What is Health Literacy?

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals obtain, process and understand basic health information and to make appropriate health care decisions.

Download a copy here (PDF 71 KB).

In this health literacy fact sheet you will find information on:

• What is health literacy?
• Basic facts about heath literacy in the U.S.
• Do provider perceptions contribute to the problem of health literacy?
• What are the consequences of limited health literacy?
• What risk factors are associated with limited health literacy
• What are some strategies for healthcare providers
• What is being done about all patients with limited health literacy?
• What tools are available to assess health literacy
• How do you test readability of existing tools and educational materials?
• Examples of evidence-based research supporting patient interventions in heart failuire