Health Literacy Month

Nearly 9 out of 10 adults struggle to understand and use personal and public health information when it’s filled with unfamiliar or complex terms.

For years, October has been recognized as Health Literacy Month, an observance where hospitals, health centers, literacy programs, libraries, social service agencies, businesses, professional associations, government agencies, consumer alliances, and other groups come together to promote and advance the mission of health literacy.

What is Health Literacy?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines health literacy in two ways:

• Personal health literacy is how well an individual can find, understand, and use information and services to make informed decisions about their own health and the health of others.
• Organizational health literacy is how effectively organizations help people find, understand, and use information and services to make informed decisions about their health and the health of others.

Have you ever been sick and tried to search online for your symptoms and possible remedies? Did you feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of medical jargon and information? Healthcare and medicine are complex fields, with new research and protocols emerging constantly. Even a routine check-up with your doctor can quickly turn confusing when confronted with unfamiliar terms related to a diagnosis or medication.

Even the best-trained doctors and nurses with excellent communication skills can unintentionally overwhelm a patient who lacks experience and understanding in medical matters.

Simply put, health literacy is about how individuals receive, interpret, and act on health information. It refers to the skills needed to understand and make informed decisions about your health—not only for yourself but also for parents, caregivers, and others involved in medical decision-making.

The Importance of Health Literacy

Effective healthcare decisions are often the result of collaboration. When communication barriers exist, this collaboration breaks down. Everyone needs health literacy skills to access care, prevent and manage health conditions, communicate needs, understand options, and make informed decisions.

Health literacy empowers patients to take control of their well-being by making informed healthcare choices, improving communication with health professionals, and advocating for themselves in medical settings.

How to Improve Health Literacy

Research shows that health literacy is crucial for reducing healthcare costs and improving public health. However, improving health literacy is not always straightforward or easy.

Healthcare professionals are encouraged to use the “Universal Precautions Approach,” which assumes that all patients may have limited understanding of procedures and information. This approach requires professionals to provide clear explanations and instructions using simplified language and visual aids.

When individuals are given clear, easy-to-understand information, they can better care for their health and wellness. This can be achieved by partnering with community institutions such as libraries, religious organizations, and schools to promote health literacy.

Some patients also require culturally knowledgeable providers who speak their language to make informed healthcare choices. Patients may struggle with medical terminology, filling out forms, or accessing healthcare providers in their community. With the proper training, healthcare professionals can assess the health literacy levels of the individuals they serve and make simple communication adjustments.

Ways to Improve Your Health Literacy

• Ask questions from trusted, reputable sources. Asking healthcare professionals questions during visits is a key step in empowering yourself about your own health.
• Prepare for appointments. Write down any questions or concerns you have for your provider before your appointment. If needed, record the appointment or take notes to refer to later.
• Repeat information back to your provider in your own words. This ensures you understand and allows your provider to correct any misunderstandings immediately.
• Bring someone you trust to the appointment. A family member, friend, or home health nurse can help listen and provide support.

How Health Professionals Can Help Improve Health Literacy

• Identify patients with limited literacy levels.
• Supplement instructions with appropriate materials such as videos, models, and pictures.
• Ask open-ended questions that begin with “how” and “what” instead of yes/no questions.
• Organize information so that the most important points stand out and repeat this information.
• Reflect the age, cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity of patients.
• Improve the physical environment by using universal symbols.
• Offer assistance with completing forms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 30). Health Literacy Basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/basics.html

Mesrobian, C. (2022, January 31). What is health literacy and why is it so important?

Rasmussen University. https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/blog/importance-of-health-literacy/