Ohio Department of Aging
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January 2008
Health Literacy Linked to Health Outcomes
Nearly nine out of 10 adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. The ability to obtain, process, and understand health information needed to make informed health decisions is known as health literacy.
Choosing a healthy lifestyle, knowing how to seek medical care and taking advantage of preventive measures require that people understand and use health information. Studies demonstrate that limited health literacy is associated with poor health and people with limited health literacy skills are significantly more likely to report their health as poor.
When compared to those with adequate health literacy skills, patients with limited health literacy skills enter the healthcare system when they are sicker. According to research studies, people with limited health literacy skills are more likely to skip important preventive measures such as mammograms, Pap smears and flu shots.
They also make greater use of services designed to treat complications of disease and less use of services designed to prevent complications. Studies demonstrate a higher rate of hospitalization and use of emergency services among patients with limited health literacy skills, which is associated with higher health care costs.
People with limited health literacy skills are also more likely to have chronic conditions and are less able to manage them effectively. Studies have found that patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma or HIV and AIDS who have limited health literacy skills have less knowledge of their illness and its management, leading to an increase in preventable hospital visits and admissions.
Low health literacy may also have negative psychological effects. One study found that those with limited health literacy skills reported a sense of shame about their skill level. As a result, they may hide reading or vocabulary difficulties to maintain their dignity.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion publishes the Quick Guide to Health Literacy for government employees, grantees and contractors and community partners working in healthcare and public health fields. It contains a basic overview of key health literacy concepts, techniques for improving health literacy, examples of health literacy best practices and suggestions for addressing health literacy in your organization
Ohio Department of Aging