Health Literacy
Limited health literacy widens health inequities.
Health literacy goes beyond reading—it involves finding, understanding, and using health information to improve individual and community well-being. As a key social determinant of health, low health literacy remains widespread, deepening inequalities and limiting the impact of public health efforts.
Insights
Political: Governments must ensure clear, inclusive communication policies. Regulation of information ecosystems is essential to counter misinformation and uphold public trust.
Economic: Low health literacy correlates with higher health costs due to delayed care and poor self-management. Investing in health literacy improves system efficiency and reduces financial burden on individuals.
Social: Health literacy follows a social gradient—those with less education, income, or marginalized identities are most affected. Improving literacy strengthens civic engagement and community health leadership.
Technological: Digital health tools often exclude those with low digital or health literacy. Design must prioritize usability, inclusivity and accessibility.
Legal: Informed consent, patient rights, and public participation hinge on the ability to understand and use information. Legal frameworks must support rights-based, accessible communication.
Environmental: In emergencies (climate, health, humanitarian), the ability to access and act on reliable information can be life-saving. Health literacy builds individual and collective resilience.
Reflective Questions
How might we design digital health tools and systems that meet people where they are in terms of literacy and language?
How can governments and civil society reimagine health communication as a shared responsibility, not just individual obligation?
What would it take to embed health literacy in education systems, from early childhood to lifelong learning?
Related Insight Cards
References:
World Health Organization, 2024. Health literacy. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/health-literacy
