Health Literacy Home Page

This project has been funded in part with funding from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. N01-LM-6-3506 with the Regents of the University of California.

Health Literacy "a person's ability to read, understand, evaluate and act upon health information."

Health Literacy in the News: Impact of Low Health Literacy

Low Health Literacy Linked to Higher Risk of Death and More Emergency Room Visits and Hospitalizations

Low health literacy in older Americans is linked to poorer health status and a higher risk of death, according to a new evidence report by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). More than 75 million English-speaking adults in the United States have limited health literacy, making it difficult for them to understand and use basic health information. [Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Update] http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2011/lowhlitpr.htm