5
Health literacy is a broad term that
relates to an individual’s ability to read,
understand and use information to make
decisions about their health and care.
It is sometimes not a helpful term; it means
little to patients and the public and a myriad
of different things to health professionals,
academics and researchers and policy
makers. As such, although it is an important
aspect of an individual’s ability to manage
their health and care and make informed
decisions, and though it has a significant
impact on their health outcomes, it has had
a relatively low profile in the UK compared
to areas such as shared decision making,
behaviour change and health improvement.
What is health literacy?
There is no universally agreed definition
of health literacy. The term has been used
in a number of different ways over the last
few decades. Some definitions concentrate
on ‘functional’ health literacy - a concept
in which health literacy is linked to literacy
and numeracy skills and is seen as the
ability to read and comprehend written
medical information and instructions. Other
definitions of health literacy have taken
a broader stance; seeing health literacy
as an important factor for everyone and
emphasising activation, empowerment and
citizenship aspects.
Health literacy is not just about an
individuals’ ability to read and make sense
of health information. According to the
definition adopted by the World Health
Organisation, addressing health literacy is an
empowerment strategy. Ensuring that people
are able to access, understand, appraise and
utilise health information effectively is the
cornerstone for their active and informed
engagement in healthcare and in decisions
relating to this.
3
Context
Health literacy has been described
as: ‘
the personal, cognitive and social
skills which determine the ability
of individuals to gain access to,
understand, and use information to
promote and maintain good health
.’
Nutbeam, 2000
1
Health literacy is: ‘
the degree to which
individuals have the capacity to obtain,
process, and understand basic health
information and services needed to
make appropriate health decisions
.’
US Institute of Medicine
2
‘Health literacy seems like the Emperor’s
new clothes - as an information provider
my core concern is making medical
information as accessible as possible and
increasing the routes for people to access
it. It isn’t essentially a helpful term.’
Survey respondent
