Health Literacy

This report describes the concept of health literacy, or the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic information and medical tools needed to make decisions or take appropriate actions regarding their health. Health literacy is measured by the ability to read, write, listen, and speak; it includes arithmetic skill and conceptual knowledge.

Approaches to health literacy bring together research and practice from diverse fields. This report, which is offered by the United States' Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, examines the body of knowledge in this emerging field, and recommends actions to promote a health-literate society.

According to the report, nearly half of all adults living in the USA (90 million people) have difficulty understanding and using health information; even well-educated people may have trouble comprehending a medical form or doctor's instructions regarding a drug or procedure. Health systems are becoming increasingly complex, involving new technologies, scientific jargon, and complicated medical procedures and forms. Moreover, USA care providers frequently need to communicate with patients who have different language, cultural, and/or educational backgrounds. In this context, limited health literacy can impede health communication and contribute to higher rates of hospitalisation and use of emergency services.

The report finds that, while fundamental to quality health care, health literacy is frequently ignored and poorly understood. The authors urge that the public health and health care systems, the education system, the media, and health care consumers need to work to improve health literacy by fostering research, guiding policy development, and stimulating the development of new strategies. For example, health knowledge and skills might be incorporated into the existing curricula of kindergarten through 12th grade classes, as well as into adult education and community programmes. In developing any such programmes, the authors stress, participation by those who will actually use them is key, as is sensitivity to cultural and language preferences.

The Institute of Medicine is a private, nonprofit institution that provides health policy advice under a congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Science. The study was sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, California HealthCare Foundation, Commonwealth Fund, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, MetLife Foundation, National Cancer Institute, Pfizer Corp., and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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