Health Literacy

The people most affected by limited Health Literacy include:

• Older adults
• People of low socioeconomic status
• People who did not finish high school
• Communities of color
• Recent immigrants
• People who have limited English proficiency

Effects of limited Health Literacy include:

• Limited knowledge of body
• Limited knowledge of the nature and cause of a disease
• Less awareness of how to prevent illness and stay healthy
• Less knowledge of their own medical conditions and self-care instructions
• Difficulty understanding numeric medical information
• Difficulty understanding when or how to take medication
• Difficulty identifying risks and side effects printed on drug labels

People with limited Health Literacy are:

• More likely to describe their health as ‘poor’
• Less likely to use preventive services
• More likely to use emergency services
• Often ashamed about their health literacy skill level

General indication of limited Healthy Literacy:

• Does not take medications correctly
• Frequently misses appointments
• Fails to follow through on tests or referrals
• Does not complete intake forms
• Cannot provide a detailed history of their illness or treatments
• Asks few questions
• Avoids reading tasks
• Does not remember information read earlier