Health literacy is the ability to understand health information and to use that information to make good decisions about your health and medical care. Health information can overwhelm even people with advanced literacy skills. About one third of the adult population in the United States has limited health literacy.
Limited health literacy can affect your ability to
- Fill out complex forms
- Locate providers and services
- Share personal information such as health history
- Take care of yourself
- Manage a chronic disease
- Understand how to take medicines
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Health Literacy Basics(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/factsbasic.htm
- Health Literacy and Health Outcomes(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/factsliteracy.htm
- Deciphering Medspeak: Medspeak Terms(Medical Library Association) - http://www.mlanet.org/resources/medspeak/medspeaka_d.html
- Deciphering Medspeak: Rx Riddles Solved(Medical Library Association) - http://www.mlanet.org/resources/medspeak/medshort.html
- Understanding Medical Terms(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/about/front/medterms.html
- Understanding the Language of Medicine(InteliHealth, Harvard Medical School) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9273/24272/443286.html?d=dmtContent
- What Your Doctor Is Saying(InteliHealth, Harvard Medical School) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9273/35328.html
- Words to Watch(National Patient Safety Foundation) - http://www.clearhealthcommunication.com/media/words-to-watch.html
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Health+Knowledge,+Attitudes,+Practice%22
- Why Johnny Is Sick: Researcher Strengthens Health, Literacy Link(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/inside/spr03/pg2.asp
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The impact of literacy enhancement on asthma-related outcomes among underserved... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18717138&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Education and consumer informatics: improvements in existing systems. Findings from... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18660882&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Appreciation of research information in patients with bipolar disorder. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18657248&tool=MedlinePlus
- Health Literacy -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=((health[tiab]+AND+literacy[tiab])+OR+(low+literate[tiab]+OR+low+literacy[tiab]+OR+literacy[tiab]+OR+illiteracy[tiab]+OR+literate[tiab]+OR+illiterate[tiab]+OR+reading[mh]+OR+comprehension[mh])+AND+(health+promotion[major]+OR+health+education[major]+OR+patient+education+as+topic[major]))+OR+((communication+barriers[major]+OR+communication[major:noexp]+OR+health+knowledge,attitudes,practice[major]+OR+attitude+to+health[major])+OR+(comprehension[major])+AND+educational+status[major])+OR+(family[tiab]+AND+literacy[tiab])+OR+((drug+labeling[mh]+OR+prescriptions,drug[mh])+AND+comprehension[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Medical Library Association - http://www.mlanet.org/
- National Library of Medicine - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
- Statistics at a Glance(National Patient Safety Foundation) - http://www.clearhealthcommunication.com/media/stats-at-a-glance2.html
- What Kids Say about: Their Health(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/body/poll_health_literacy.html
- Evaluating Health Information - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/evaluatinghealthinformation.html
- Patient Rights - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/patientrights.html
- Talking With Your Doctor - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/talkingwithyourdoctor.html
- Understanding Medical Research - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/understandingmedicalresearch.html
- Personal Health Issues - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/personalhealthissues.html
- Wellness and Lifestyle - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wellnessandlifestyle.html