Health Literacy: A Brief Overview

Introduction

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) defines health literacy as "the degree to which an individual can obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services they need to make appropriate health decisions" (p. 1, Institute of Medicine, 2004). According to the IOM, health literacy to some degree requires medical knowledge, navigational skills, cultural competency, and initiative. Similarly, the American Medical Association (1999) defines health literacy as the ability to read and comprehend prescription bottles, appointment slips, and other essential health-related materials. Health literacy is more than a measure of reading ability; health literacy also consists of writing, listening, speaking, and math ability as well as conceptual knowledge (Dewalt & Pignone, 2005; Rao, 2007). Further, basic health literacy skills are necessary to obtain, process, and understand basic health information. In summary, health literacy is much more than the ability to read pamphlets and flyers received from health-care professionals. It is the ability to access and use health information effectively to empower oneself (Gazmararian, Curran, Parker, Bernhardt, & DeBuono, 2005) while using such knowledge to independently make choices that preserve, improve, and manage one's health (Abel, 2007).