http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/ocpl/resources/improvinghealthliteracy.htm
Office of Communications and Public Liaison, National Institutes of Health
Similar to our traditional understanding of literacy, health literacy incorporates a range of abilities: to read, comprehend, and analyze information; decode instructions, symbols, charts, and diagrams; weigh risks and benefits; and, ultimately, make decisions and take action. However, the concept of health literacy extends to the materials, environments, and challenges specifically associated with disease prevention and health promotion. This document provides information on health literacy, including areas commonly associated with health literacy, why health literacy is an issue for health communication professionals, what the health literacy objective in Healthy People 2010 is, and where to learn more about health literacy.