Health Literacy Summary Health literacy refers to how well a person can get the health information and services that they need, and how well they understand them. It is also about using them to make good health decisions. It involves differences that people have in areas such as Access to information that they can understand Skills, such as finding that information, communicating with health care providers, living a healthy lifestyle, and managing a disease Knowledge of medical words, and of how their healthcare system works Abilities, such as physical or mental limitations Personal factors, such as age, education, language abilities, and culture More than 90 million adults in the United States have low health literacy. It affects their ability to make health decisions. This can harm their health. They may have trouble managing chronic diseases, and leading a healthy lifestyle. They may go to the hospital more often, and have poorer health overall. NIH: National Institutes of Health NIH Office of the Director Find an Expert Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Library Association Medical Library Association National Library of Medicine National Library of Medicine Related Issues Clear & Simple National Institutes of Health Current Over-the-Counter Medicine Label: Take a Look Food and Drug Administration How to Read Drug Labels Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Plain Language: Getting Started or Brushing Up National Institutes of Health Want to Be More Health Savvy? Food and Drug Administration Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Health Literacy National Institutes of Health Teenagers Figuring Out Health News Nemours Foundation Start Here Health Literacy National Institutes of Health Health Literacy and Health Outcomes Department of Health and Human Services Health Literacy Basics Department of Health and Human Services Learn about Health Literacy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Statistics and Research Health Literacy of America’s Adults: Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy Department of Education Array Hospitals as health educators Children Kids’ Medical Dictionary Nemours Foundation What Kids Say about: Their Health Nemours Foundation Journal Articles MEDLINE/PubMed Search and Health Literacy Information Resources Health Literacy Health Check Tools Question Builder: Be Prepared for Your Next Medical Appointment Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Seniors Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Reference Desk Some Common Abbreviations National Library of Medicine Word Parts and What They Mean National Library of Medicine Videos and Tutorials Understanding Medical Words: A Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine National Library of Medicine Latest News Many Unfamiliar with Health Insurance Lingo, Study Says HealthDay
