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Health Literacy
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Wellness Lifestyle

Health Literacy

Health literacy encompasses the ability to find, understand, and use information to make informed decisions about your health and medical care.

What is health literacy?

Health literacy involves the information people need to make good health decisions. It consists of two parts:

  • Personal health literacy: How well a person can find, understand, and use health information and services to make good decisions.
  • Organizational health literacy: How well organizations help people find, understand, and use health information and services.

Which factors can affect health literacy?

Many factors influence a person's health literacy, including:

  • Knowledge of medical words
  • Understanding of how the health care system works
  • Ability to communicate with health care providers
  • Ability to find health information, which may require computer skills
  • Reading, writing, and number skills
  • Personal factors, such as age, income, education, language abilities, and culture
  • Physical or mental limitations

Many people at risk for limited health literacy also experience health disparities, which are health differences between groups based on factors like age, race, or sex.

Why is health literacy important?

Health literacy affects your ability to:

  • Make good decisions about your health.
  • Get the medical care you need, including preventative care.
  • Take your medicines correctly.
  • Manage a chronic (long-term) disease.
  • Lead a healthy lifestyle.

To improve your health literacy, communicate clearly with your providers. If you do not understand something, ask for an explanation or request that they write down their instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Organizational health literacy refers to how well healthcare systems design their services to be accessible and easy to understand. High organizational health literacy means hospitals and clinics use clear signage, plain-language consent forms, and patient-friendly communication tools. This reduces medical errors and improves patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment plans.
Prioritize sources from recognized institutions such as government health agencies, major hospitals, or academic medical centers. Look for websites that cite their sources and have a clear "About Us" page. Avoid relying on social media posts or forums for medical advice, and always verify information with your healthcare provider before making changes to your care.
Low health literacy can lead to missed appointments, incorrect medication dosing, and failure to recognize warning signs of complications. It may result in poor disease control and higher hospitalization rates. To mitigate this, ask for simplified care plans, use pill organizers, and set up phone reminders for medications and appointments.
Request that your provider use plain language and avoid jargon. You can also ask them to write down key instructions or provide reputable written materials to review at home. Bringing a trusted family member or friend to appointments can help clarify information and ensure you remember critical details.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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