Health literacy is the capacity of individuals to obtain, understand, appraise and use health information to make informed decisions about their care and wellbeing. It encompasses functional skills such as reading and numeracy in health contexts, as well as the ability to navigate health systems, communicate with pr…
Health literacy is the capacity of individuals to obtain, understand, appraise and use health information to make informed decisions about their care and wellbeing. It encompasses functional skills such as reading and numeracy in health contexts, as well as the ability to navigate health systems, communicate with providers and apply guidance to self-management. Low health literacy is associated with poorer understanding of disease, reduced adherence and worse outcomes, making it an important determinant of health equity. Research relevant to this topic examines disease-specific literacy and self-management, as in osteoarthritis and glaucoma, and the role of literacy in fall prevention and chronic-disease care among older adults. Studies also assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding conditions such as cardiovascular disease, the design and evaluation of evidence-based health information materials, and health-seeking behavior and preventive care, including in maternal health and the management of chronic and non-communicable diseases. Health literacy intersects with culture, language and access, shaping how information is received and acted upon across populations. By clarifying how people engage with health information, the study of health literacy informs the design of communication, education and patient-support interventions intended to improve comprehension, self-care and health outcomes, particularly among vulnerable and older populations.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 56 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Health Literacy, linking to each citing work.