National Action Plan

to Improve

Health Literacy
Suggested citation: 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. 

(2010). National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. Washington, DC: Author. 
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | i i i

Foreword 

or more than 30 years, I’ve observed the difficulties many people face as they attempt to use our 

health care system. I’ve seen firsthand the inequities in health status and access to care and the 

outcomes that persist. My own experiences in treating patients, running a large government 

agency and overseeing academic research, have given me a unique perspective about the Nation’s 

health care and public health systems, and more importantly the need to make health literacy a public 

health priority.

Quite simply, the responsibility is ours as health professionals to communicate in plain language. 

Without clear communication, we cannot expect people to adopt the healthy behaviors and 

recommendations that we champion. When people receive accurate, easy-to-use information about a 

health issue, they are better able to take action to protect and promote their health and wellness. That 

is why health literacy is so critical to our efforts in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It 

is the currency for everything we do.

Improving health literacy—that is, the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, 

and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions—is 

critical to achieving the objectives set forth in Healthy People 2020 and, more broadly, key to the 

success of our national health agenda. 

We should address in a sustained manner the problem of health literacy in our Nation with a goal of 

improving health status within and across populations. I remain personally and professionally passionate 

about working systematically to attain the highest standard of health for the greatest possible number 

of people.

Too often, there exists a chasm of knowledge between what professionals know and what consumers 

and patients understand. Basic health literacy is fundamental to the success of each interaction between 

health care professionals and patients—every prescription, every treatment, and every recovery. Basic 

health literacy is fundamental to putting sound public health guidance into practice and helping people 

follow recommendations.

The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy envisions a restructuring of the ways we create and 

disseminate all types of health information in this country. The plan also calls us to ensure that all 

children graduate with health literacy skills that will help them live healthier throughout their lifespan. 

F
Foreword

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | i v

So many large and small steps are at our disposal. The time to act is at hand. This volume sets forth 

thoughtful, achievable objectives and describes what is required to create and sustain a health literate 

Nation. 

Accordingly, I wholeheartedly endorse this thoughtful document and the blueprint it offers. Working 

cooperatively, let us realize the vision it offers in the lives of people everywhere. 

Sincerely,

Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Secretary for Health
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | v

Contents 

Foreword..........................................................................................................................................iii

Contents............................................................................................................................................v

Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Understanding and Defining Health Literacy ......................................................................................... 4

Section 1: Limited Health Literacy as a Public Health Problem ............................................................. 7

Prevalence of Limited Health Literacy (Epidemiology) .......................................................................... 7

Health Literacy and Outcomes............................................................................................................... 9

Innovative Approaches To Improve Health Literacy ............................................................................ 10

Section 2: Developing a Societywide Health Response ......................................................................13

Section 3: Vision and Goals for the Future ........................................................................................16

Goal 1—Develop and Disseminate Health and Safety Information That Is Accurate, 

Accessible, and Actionable ............................................................................................................ 18

Goal 2—Promote Changes in the Health Care Delivery System That Improve Health 

Information, Communication, Informed Decisionmaking, and Access to Health Services ........... 25

Goal 3—Incorporate Accurate, Standards-Based, and Developmentally Appropriate Health 

and Science Information and Curricula in Child Care and Education Through the 

University Level.............................................................................................................................. 32

Goal 4—Support and Expand Local Efforts To Provide Adult Education, English Language 

Instruction, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Health Information Services in 

the Community .............................................................................................................................. 35

Goal 5—Build Partnerships, Develop Guidance, and Change Policies................................................. 39

Goal 6—Increase Basic Research and the Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of 

Practices and Interventions To Improve Health Literacy............................................................... 43

Goal 7—Increase the Dissemination and Use of Evidence-Based Health Literacy Practices and 

Interventions.................................................................................................................................. 45

Section 4: Creating and Sustaining National Action ...........................................................................48

Appendix A: References...................................................................................................................50

Appendix B: What You Can Do To Improve Health Literacy................................................................59

Appendix C: Acknowledgments........................................................................................................63
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 

Summary 

T

his National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy seeks to engage organizations, professionals, 

policymakers, communities, individuals, and families in a linked, multisector effort to improve 

health literacy. The plan is based on the principles that (1) everyone has the right to health 

information that helps them make informed decisions and (2) health services should be delivered in 

ways that are understandable and beneficial to health, longevity, and quality of life. The vision informing 

this plan is of a society that:

■ Provides everyone with access to accurate and actionable health information

■ Delivers person-centered health information and services 

■ Supports lifelong learning and skills to promote good health

Two decades of research indicate that today’s health information is presented in a way that isn’t usable 

by most Americans. Nearly 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty using the everyday health information that 

is routinely available in our health care facilities, retail outlets, media, and communities.1, 2, 3 (References 

are presented in Appendix A.) Without clear information and an understanding of prevention and selfmanagement of conditions, people are more likely to skip necessary medical tests. They also end up in 

the emergency room more often, and they have a hard time managing chronic diseases, such as 

diabetes or high blood pressure.1

 

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand 

basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.4 Limited health 

literacy affects people of all ages, races, incomes, and education levels, but the impact of limited health 

literacy disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic and minority groups. It affects people’s ability to 

search for and use health information, adopt healthy behaviors, and act on important public health 

alerts. Limited health literacy is also associated with worse health outcomes and higher costs.5

This report contains seven goals that will improve health literacy and suggests strategies for achieving 

them: 

1. Develop and disseminate health and safety information that is accurate, accessible, and 

actionable

2. Promote changes in the health care system that improve health information, communication, 

informed decisionmaking, and access to health services
Summary

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 

3. Incorporate accurate, standards-based, and developmentally appropriate health and science 

information and curricula in child care and education through the university level

4. Support and expand local efforts to provide adult education, English language instruction, and 

culturally and linguistically appropriate health information services in the community 

5. Build partnerships, develop guidance, and change policies

6. Increase basic research and the development, implementation, and evaluation of practices and 

interventions to improve health literacy

7. Increase the dissemination and use of evidence-based health literacy practices and 

interventions

Many of the strategies highlight actions that particular organizations or professions can take to further 

these goals. It will take everyone working together in a linked and coordinated manner to improve 

access to accurate and actionable health information and usable health services. By focusing on health 

literacy issues and working together, we can improve the accessibility, quality, and safety of health care;

reduce costs; and improve the health and quality of life of millions of people in the United States. 
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 

Introduction

E

very day, people confront situations that involve life-changing decisions about their health. These 

decisions are made in such places as grocery and drug stores, workplaces, playgrounds, doctors’ 

offices, clinics and hospitals, and around the kitchen table. Only some of these decisions are 

made when patients and their health care providers are in a face-to-face consultation; many more are 

made when people are on their own and dealing with often unfamiliar and complex information. For 

example, they must figure out what type of health insurance they should choose; how much medicine to 

give a sick child, using the directions printed on a box; or how to respond to a warning about a severe 

public health outbreak in their area. People need information they can understand and use to make 

informed decisions and take actions that protect and promote their health. Yet two decades of research 

indicate that today’s health information is presented in a way that isn’t usable by the average adult. 

Nearly 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty using the everyday health information that is routinely available 

in our health care facilities, retail outlets, media, and communities.1, 2, 3

At the same time that health-related decisions are becoming more complex, the economic pressure of 

rising health care costs and the growing prevalence of chronic disease are creating a shift toward 

consumer-driven health care, where consumers are the primary decisionmaker of the health care they 

receive. Public policy is increasingly focused on the role of consumers (the public) in managing their own 

health in partnership with health care providers.

1, 6 To make appropriate health decisions and act on 

them, people must locate health information, evaluate the information for credibility and quality, and 

analyze risks and benefits. Underlying this shift toward consumer-driven care are assumptions about 

people’s knowledge and skills that contradict what we know about health literacy in the United States. 

This National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy seeks to engage all people in a linked, multilevel 

effort to create a health literate society. Healthy People 2010 defines health literacy as the capacity to 

“obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate 

health decisions.”4 The goals and strategies support and will help achieve Healthy People objectives in 

health literacy and related areas, such as chronic diseases. Healthy People is a set of health objectives 

for the Nation to achieve over a decade. The objectives are informed by the best scientific knowledge 

and designed to measure the Nation’s health over time.

The action plan identifies the overarching goals and highest priority strategies that we should pursue to 

create a health literate society. Health literacy is part of a person-centered care process and essential to 

the delivery of cost-effective, safe, and high-quality health services.7, 8 The expected results of striving for 
Introduction

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 

the goals and implementing the strategies are more usable health information; more cost-effective, 

equitable, safer, and higher quality health services; and eventually improved health outcomes. 

The action plan identifies the overarching goals and highest priority strategies that we should pursue to 

create a health literate society. Organizations and professional groups can use the action plan as a 

framework, adapt the goals and strategies to their situation, and decide on specific actions to take. 

Professionals, public and private sector organizations, communities, and policymakers are the intended 

users of the plan because they are the ones who can organize and take actions and evaluate progress 

toward a health literate society. Every organization and professional group involved in the development 

and dissemination of health information and services should have specific goals, objectives, strategies, 

policies, guidelines, and metrics to ensure that their actions improve health literacy. Some groups may 

have a bigger role than others, but we all have a contribution to make. Appendix B suggests action steps 

for individuals and families to take on their own or in collaboration with groups in their communities. 

The health literacy action plan is the result of many years of work by numerous public and private sector 

organizations and individuals to draw attention to health literacy as a major public health issue. The 

Health Literacy Workgroup of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) led the 

preparation of the plan. The plan was based on the 2006 Surgeon General’s Workshop on Improving 

Health Literacy, a series of town hall meetings in 2007 and 2008, and feedback from stakeholder 

organizations in 2009. The release of the plan is only the beginning of a coordinated process that will 

result in a society that is more informed, empowered, and engaged in health protection and promotion. 

Through interconnected, multitier, and multisector approaches, we can improve the accessibility, 

quality, and safety of health care; reduce costs; and improve the health and quality of life of millions of 

people in the United States. 

Understanding and Defining Health Literacy

Health literacy is a complex phenomenon that involves skills, knowledge, and the expectations that 

health professionals have of the public’s interest in and understanding of health information and 

services. Health information and services are often unfamiliar, complicated, and technical, even for 

people with higher levels of education. People of all ages, races, incomes, and education levels—not just 

people with limited reading skills or people for whom English is a second language—are affected by 

limited health literacy. According to research from the U.S. Department of Education, only 12 percent of 

English-speaking adults in the United States have proficient health literacy skills. The impact of limited 

health literacy disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic and minority groups.2

 
Introduction

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 5 

The skills of individuals are an important part of health literacy, but health literacy is not only about 

individuals’ skills. Health literacy in the U.S. reflects what health systems and professionals do to make 

health information and services understandable and actionable. Professionals, the media, and public and 

private sector organizations often present information in ways that make it difficult to understand and act 

on. Publicly available health information can also be incomplete or inaccurate. Reports from HHS and the 

Institute of Medicine (IOM) highlight a key component of health literacy: the interaction between the skills 

of individuals and the requirements and assumptions of health and social systems.1, 9

Consequently, the 

skills of health professionals, the media, and government and private sector agencies to provide health 

information in a manner appropriate to their audiences are as equally important as an individual’s skills.

1

The interactions between laypersons and professionals influence the health literacy of individuals and 

society.

Health literacy and literacy are closely related but not identical. Literacy is defined as a set of reading, 

writing, basic math, speech, and comprehension skills. Numeracy, which is part of literacy, implies a 

“facility with basic probability and numerical concepts.”10 We need these skills to function in society 

every day.11 Early studies in education and adult literacy demonstrated that literacy influences a 

person’s ability to access information, use print materials, and participate in society.12 When we apply 

these skills to a health context—such as reading a nutrition label, getting a flu shot, or managing a 

health condition—we are using health literacy skills that have developed over time. General literacy 

gives us some but not all the skills to understand and communicate health information and concerns.1

Years of school completed can be misleading when estimating literacy and health literacy skills. A person 

can have completed the required number of years of school and still have limited health literacy. In fact, 

approximately 45 percent of high school graduates have limited health literacy.2

 

Health literacy requires knowledge from many topic areas, including the body, healthy behaviors, and 

the workings of the health system. Health literacy is influenced by the language we speak; our ability to 

communicate clearly and listen carefully; and our age, socioeconomic status, cultural background, past 

experiences, cognitive abilities, and mental health. Each of these factors affects how we communicate, 

understand, and respond to health information. For example, it can be difficult for anyone, no matter 

the literacy skills, to remember instructions or read a medication label when feeling sick.

Health information comes from many different sources and is delivered through multiple channels—for 

example, discussions with friends and family; TV, radio, and newspapers; schools; libraries; Web sites 

and social media; doctors, dentists, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other health 

professionals; health educators; public health officials; nutrition and medicine labels; product 

pamphlets; and safety warnings. Many of these sources present different and possibly conflicting 

information, and some present biased or incomplete information. As a result, people confront a 

complex and potentially overwhelming set of health messages every day. 
Introd uction

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 

To prevent or manage disease and promote health, Americans need to make sense of the health 

information they hear, read, and see from all of these sources. Consequently, no single group or 

organization can address health literacy issues on its own. Initiatives from all sectors must be linked and 

mutually supportive to achieve measurable improvements in health literacy across all socioeconomic 

levels. 

All of us must work together to make sure that health information and services are provided in ways that 

meet the needs and interests of all people. Although many individual factors contribute to limited health 

literacy, eliminating barriers and improving the way health care and public health professionals, 

educators, and the media communicate health information offer the best opportunity to achieve a health 

literate society.1
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 7 

1SECTION Limited Health Literacy as 

a Public Health Problem 

 

S

everal recent events have drawn attention to the challenges of and possible solutions to limited 

health literacy. In 2000, Healthy People 2010 identified limited health literacy as a public health 

problem and set national objectives for its improvement.4 The oral health field produced 

A National Call to Action To Promote Oral Health and a research agenda for health literacy in dentistry. 

In 2004, IOM reported findings that health literacy is critical to improving the health of individuals and 

the Nation.1 At the same time, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) published a 

thorough scientific review of the literature on the effect of limited literacy on a wide variety of health 

outcomes.5 Then, in 2006, the U.S. Department of Education released the first-ever national assessment 

of the health literacy of English-speaking adults in the United States, showing that limited health literacy 

is a widespread problem.2

Health literacy is increasingly receiving attention from major health professional organizations. The 

National Institutes of Health and AHRQ sponsor a program announcement to support health literacy 

research. Numerous health professional organizations—such as the American College of Physicians, the 

American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, 

and the Association for Clinicians for the Underserved—have made health literacy a priority issue for 

their members. Accreditation organizations are developing standards for health care organizations to 

assess their performance in improving health literacy. Audit tools—such as the Pharmacy Health Literacy 

Assessment Guide (from AHRQ) and the Health Literacy Environment of Hospitals and Health Centers 

(from the National Center for the Study of Adult Literacy and Learning)—allow organizations to assess 

their own performance in addressing health literacy-related barriers. The United Nations has agreed on 

a goal of improving health literacy: “We stress that health literacy is an important factor in ensuring 

significant health outcomes and in this regard call for the development of appropriate action plans to 

promote health literacy.”13

Prevalence of Limited Health Literacy (Epidemiology)

Recent research highlights the severity of limited health literacy.14 According to Healthy People 2010, 

everyday health promotion and disease prevention activities, along with effective navigation of today’s 

health care system and response to public health alerts and recommendations, require Proficient health 
S ectio n 1 | Limited Health Literacy as a Public Health Problem

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 8 

literacy.15 Adults with proficient health literacy skills can perform complex and challenging literacy 

activities—such as integrating, synthesizing, and analyzing multiple pieces of information in a complex 

document. An example of health material that requires proficient skills is a table of information about 

health insurance costs based on income and family size. Materials are often written at a reading level 

too high for most readers,16, 17, 18, 19 and many health care professionals20 use only some of the 

recommended strategies when working with patients with limited health literacy.

Current population data on literacy and health literacy skills in the United States come from the 2003 

National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). NAAL is commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education 

and measures literacy among adults. National data on adult literacy (which is related to but not the same as 

health literacy) document significant barriers. According to the 2003 NAAL, the percentage of adults with 

limited literacy skills has not improved significantly in the past 10 years. For the first time, the 2003 NAAL

also studied health literacy. From the more than 19,000 adults surveyed, only 12 percent demonstrated 

Proficient health literacy.2 These data identify limited health literacy as a population-level problem of 

enormous proportion, affecting nearly 9 out of 10 English-speaking adults in the United States. There are no 

national data on the health literacy skills in native languages of populations in the United States with limited 

or no English language skills. 

The most current summaries of numeracy research paint a dismal portrait.21, 22 A review of research on 

adult numeracy concluded that research on interventions is insufficient to provide a meaningful direction 

for practice or additional research.22 Following its review, the U.S. Department of Education summarized, 

“research into instructional practices and curriculum content methodologies . . . is largely flawed, lacking 

in the scientific rigor necessary to make sound inferences” and found “no consistent definition of math 

standards.”22 The U.S. Department of Education recommended a more precise understanding of reasons 

for dropout from developmental math and more data collection on math outcomes, learner 

characteristics, and relationships of characteristics and outcomes. 

Although limited health literacy affects most adults at some point in their lives, there are disparities in 

prevalence and severity. Some groups are more likely than others to have limited health literacy. Certain 

populations are most likely to experience limited health literacy:

■ Adults over the age of 65 years 

■ Racial and ethnic groups other than White 

■ Recent refugees and immigrants 

■ People with less than a high school degree or GED 

■ People with incomes at or below the poverty level 

■ Non-native speakers of English 
S ectio n 1 | Limited Health Literacy as a Public Health Problem

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 9 

Of great concern are the 14 percent of adults (30 million Americans) who are unable to perform even 

the simplest everyday literacy tasks, many of whom are not literate in English. Most of the adults with 

Below Basic health literacy skills would have difficulty reading a chart or simple instructions. These same 

adults are more likely to report that their health as poor (42 percent) and are more likely to lack health 

insurance (28 percent) than adults with Proficient health literacy.2 Additionally, the 54 million adults 

with any type of disability, difficulty, or illness are especially vulnerable and more likely to perform at

the lowest literacy levels.23Although physician awareness of the Americans with Disabilities Act has 

increased since its passage, adults with disabilities continue to face significant barriers to health care in 

facilities and communication.24, 25 

Based on data about students’ literacy skills, limited health literacy is a significant problem for students 

in grades K–12. Each day, 7,000 students drop out of school—1.2 million each year.26 The results from 

the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) demonstrated “that high school seniors from 

low-income families read on a par with middle school students from more affluent families.”27 However, 

NAEP scores for all students do not bode well for general literacy. Only 30 percent of fourth-grade

students and 29 percent of eighth-grade students scored proficient in language arts on the 2005 NAEP.27

The differences in scores between States ranged from a high of 44-percent proficient students in both 

fourth and eighth grades in Massachusetts to a low of only 18-percent proficient students in fourth and 

eighth grades in Mississippi.27

Health Literacy and Outcomes

The link between limited health literacy and poor health has been well documented. In 2004, both AHRQ 

and IOM published reports with comprehensive reviews of the literature on health literacy and health 

outcomes. Both reports concluded that limited health literacy is negatively associated with the use of 

preventive services (e.g., mammograms or flu shots), management of chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, high 

blood pressure, asthma, and HIV/AIDS), and self-reported health. Researchers also found an association 

between limited health literacy and an increase in preventable hospital visits and admissions.1, 5 Additional 

studies have linked limited health literacy to misunderstanding instructions about prescription medication,

medication errors, poor comprehension of nutrition labels, and mortality.

28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33

Limited health literacy has psychological costs. Adults with limited health literacy skills report feeling a 

sense of shame about their skill level.

34, 35 They may hide their struggles with reading or vocabulary.36

As a result of this and other issues, limited health literacy is often invisible to health care providers and 

other public health professionals.

37, 38, 39
S ectio n 1 | Limited Health Literacy as a Public Health Problem

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 0

Because of the complexity of health literacy, there are no reliable and valid studies of its full impact on 

costs for health care services. The few published studies have focused on the costs generated by 

individuals identified as having “low” health literacy. For example, costs associated with medical errors 

may result from health literacy factors. Existing economic studies indicate that people with limited 

health literacy skills have higher medical costs and use an inefficient mix of services.40 

One study estimates the cost of limited health literacy to the Nation’s economy to be between $106 and 

$236 billion U.S. dollars (USD) annually.41 When one accounts for the future costs that result from 

current actions (or lack of action), the real present day cost of limited health literacy might be closer 

to $1.6–3.6 trillion USD.

41 In addition, substantial indirect costs are likely associated with limited health 

literacy, such as more chronic illness and disability, lost wages, and a poorer quality of life. Much more 

research is needed to make a definitive statement about the costs of limited health literacy. 

Additionally, recent research has focused on health literacy as one of the critical factors in health 

disparities.42, 43, 44 The greatest opportunities for reducing health disparities are in empowering 

individuals and changing the health system to meet their needs.4

We cannot expect people to adopt the 

health behaviors and take the actions we champion without clear communication, supportive activities 

to build skills, and organizational changes to reduce the demands of our recommendations.45, 46

Innovative Approaches To Improve Health Literacy

Evidence-based strategies to address health literacy are emerging from the fields of communication, 

health care, public health, and adult education. Much of the evidence on interventions comes from 

simplifying and improving written materials, using video or other targeted approaches to patient 

education, and improving patient–provider communication. Interventions have taken many forms 

(e.g., computer-based participatory processes, in-person Saturday school classes, and plain language 

and pictogram medication sheets) and have had many positive results, demonstrating that limited 

health literacy can be successfully addressed.47, 48, 49, 50

Adopting User-Centered Design 

Strong evidence supports involving members of the target audience in the design and testing of 

communication products. This participatory design process results in improved outcomes, including 

those for people with limited health literacy.51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 Similarly, health professionals 

should apply proven health literacy design principles and standards to health information and services. 

For example, studies have shown that picture-based instructions promote better understanding of how 

to take medication and decrease medication errors among patients.50, 61, 62 Graphs may be an appealing 

and informative means of communicating health risk information to adults with low numeracy skills.63, 64
S ectio n 1 | Limited Health Literacy as a Public Health Problem

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 1

Using a Universal Precautions Approach 

The field of health literacy has adopted the idea of “universal precautions” from infectious disease to 

make the case that clear communication should be the basis for every health information exchange.65

Because it is impossible to tell by looking who may be infected with HIV or a similar disease transmitted 

through blood and bodily fluids, doctors, dentists, and other professionals follow a universal precautions 

approach. This means that they follow the same precautions, such as using gloves and other barriers, for 

every patient. Similarly, it is impossible to tell by looking who is affected by limited health literacy.66 For 

this reason, many health professionals advocate using a universal precautions approach to health 

communication—that is, assume that most patients will have difficulty understanding health

information.

65 When 9 of 10 English-speaking adults have less than proficient health literacy skills, it is 

an issue that affects everyone. Parker and Kreps note that even though everyone will not be at the same 

health literacy level, it is always best to use the clearest language possible.67 

Several studies have shown that while interventions and materials that address health literacy barriers 

may have greater effects on individuals with limited health literacy, many of those at higher health 

literacy levels also prefer and benefit from them.61, 68, 69 By adopting universal precautions, health 

professionals use clear communication with everyone, regardless of their perceived health literacy skills. 

At the same time, providers should assess in real-time if the clear communication is working and if not, 

incorporate additional targeting and tailoring methods to ensure that people receive the information 

they need to make appropriate health decisions.67

Targeting and Tailoring Communication 

Several studies have demonstrated that using targeted approaches to communication can improve selfmanagement and related health outcomes among patients with limited health literacy. Targeted 

approaches are adapted to meet the needs of specific groups of people, such as patients with limited 

literacy skills. Tailored programs and communication, on the other hand, are individually crafted based 

on the unique characteristics of each person.70, 71 Additionally, interventions targeted for those with 

limited literacy skills have resulted in strong ratings for acceptability and usefulness of materials56 and 

for improved medication dosing and adherence.50

Making Organizational Changes 

As awareness of health literacy has spread, the demand for tools to help organizations meet the 

communication needs of their patients has grown. Assessing an organization’s strengths and weaknesses 

is often the first step in improving quality. Two organizational assessments have been developed to 

measure how well an organization is responding to the health literacy of their patients. One is a selfassessment for hospitals and health centers. This assessment includes an action plan for reducing 

literacy-related barriers.72 A second, designed for pharmacies, includes health literacy assessment tools 
S ectio n 1 | Limited Health Literacy as a Public Health Problem

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 2

for independent auditors, pharmacy staff, and pharmacy customers.73 Self-audit tools are being 

developed for health plans and primary care practices to assess their health literacy practices. 

Research has also shown the need for the health care system to be more proactive and take 

responsibility to meet the needs of the people it serves by reducing the health literacy demands placed 

on individuals. Some of the changes taking place include modifying consent processes,74 redesigning 

forms in advance to meet low literacy needs,69 and emphasizing the importance of health literacy training 

for health care professionals.75, 76
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 3

2SECTION Developing a Societywide 

Health Response 

 

T

o improve health literacy, we must simultaneously address the multiple factors described in the 

opening pages of this plan. Development of health policy, programs, and financing must address 

the need for increased usability of health information and services. Much can be done to 

improve the following:

■ Communication skills of health professionals

■ Framing and knowledge of complex issues by the media and public health professionals

■ Clarity and accuracy of health information

■ Cultural and linguistic targeting of health information and services

■ Public health infrastructure that facilitates and supports healthy behaviors

■ Community, educational, and workplace infrastructures that facilitate and support access to 

health information 

Even as the number of successful evidence-based interventions increases, important questions remain: 

What are the most effective strategies for improving health literacy skills? How can the health care 

system change to better meet the information and communication needs of all people? 

Determining the answers to these questions demands a multilevel public health response. In September 

2006, the Office of the Surgeon General hosted a Workshop on Improving Health Literacy. The goal of 

the workshop was to present the state of the science in the field of health literacy from a variety of 

perspectives, including those of health care organizations and providers, the research community, 

educators, and communicators. During the 1-day workshop, participants identified the public health 

consequences of limited health literacy and established a framework for taking action.

The workshop led to several conclusions:

■ Limited health literacy is a major public health problem in America.

■ There is an association between health literacy and several health outcomes.
S ectio n 2 | Developing a Societywide Health Response

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 4

■ Limited health literacy is not an individual problem; it is a societywide problem that should be 

addressed by making sure that health information and services meet the needs of the public.

■ The costs associated with improving health literacy should be weighed against the financial and 

human costs associated with ignoring limited health literacy.

As a followup to the Surgeon General’s Workshop and in preparation for this National Action Plan to 

Improve Health Literacy, in 2007 and 2008, HHS convened town hall meetings across the country to 

explore promising practices to improve health literacy. Representatives from local organizations serving 

the health, education, social services, and information needs of the community were invited. To include

geographically and culturally diverse perspectives, these 1-day meetings were held in New York City, 

Sacramento, St. Louis, and Tampa. The summaries to each townhall meeting can be accessed online at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/. The morning session of each meeting 

focused on presentations and discussions about promising health literacy practices in the region. Each 

meeting had a slightly different theme. For example, the meeting in New York City focused on adult 

education, and the meeting in Sacramento focused on coordinated efforts by State and local 

governments. 

During the afternoon session, participants in the town hall meetings were randomly assigned to one of 

four small groups and asked to develop goals for achieving a more health literate society. Imagining that 

it was the year 2025, participants described the characteristics of a health literate society. Based on 

those characteristics, each group prioritized goals and suggested strategies to achieve them. 

Several themes emerged from the public meetings, including the need for cross-disciplinary and 

community partnerships to improve health literacy. The themes identified in the first meeting in New 

York City appeared at all the town halls, with varying levels of emphasis. The themes can be summarized 

as a STEPP approach to health literacy improvement: 

■ Sharing—We must share, among ourselves and across disciplinary and organizational 

boundaries, information, findings, program successes, and areas for improvement. 

■ Technology—Being mindful of the digital divide, we must consider technology as an essential 

tool for improving health literacy. 

■ Evaluation—More programs need all types of evaluation, especially evaluation that accounts for 

what is important to different population groups. 

■ Partnership—We must create partnerships with communities and each other. 

■ Participation—Health literacy has its roots in community engagement. We must partner with 

the people whom we are trying to help. 
S ectio n 2 | Developing a Societywide Health Response

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 5

The goals and strategies proposed in the following section build on the growing evidence base 

articulated in HHS’ Healthy People 2010 Health Communication Action Plan9 and IOM’s health literacy 

report.1 These goals and strategies reflect the ideas and approaches outlined in the Surgeon General’s 

Workshop and emphasized in presentations, public dialogue, and themes during the town hall meetings. 

Research since the 2006 workshop has also been used to identify promising strategies. The goals and 

strategies also reflect the reviews and comments of many health-related organizations already working 

in the field of health literacy or beginning to connect health literacy to their work in other areas, such as 

health disparities and healthy equity.
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 6

3SECTION

Vision and Goals for 

the Future 

 

T

his National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy is based on the principles that (1) everyone 

has the right to health information that helps them make informed decisions and (2) health 

services are delivered in ways that are understandable and beneficial to health, longevity, and 

quality of life. With these principles as a guide, this section suggests strategies and opportunities for 

action and identifies challenges that must be overcome to improve health literacy. Together, they 

represent a call for response from organizations and individuals that are committed to creating a health 

literate society.

An informed and engaged public that values health promotion, protection, and preparedness is vital to 

the health and security of the Nation and a significant part of the vision for a health literate future that 

is described in this National Action Plan. A responsive health system that eliminates barriers to clear 

communication and provides usable and actionable health information and services is equally 

important. The vision informing this plan is of a society that:

■ Provides everyone with access to accurate and actionable health information

■ Delivers person-centered health information and services 

■ Supports lifelong learning and skills to promote good health

This vision is dependent on achieving the following seven goals:

1. Develop and disseminate health and safety information that is accurate, accessible, and 

actionable 

2. Promote changes in the health care system that improve health information, communication, 

informed decisionmaking, and access to health services 

3. Incorporate accurate, standards-based, and developmentally appropriate health and science 

information and curricula in child care and education through the university level

4. Support and expand local efforts to provide adult education, English language instruction, and 

culturally and linguistically appropriate health information services in the community 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 7

5. Build partnerships, develop guidance, and change policies

6. Increase basic research and the development, implementation, and evaluation of practices and 

interventions to improve health literacy

7. Increase the dissemination and use of evidence-based health literacy practices and 

interventions

These seven goals do not stand alone. Instead, they are pieces of an integrated approach to improving 

health literacy. We must collectively build on evidence-based programs, identify current gaps in 

evidence and action, and initiate and evaluate interventions to fill those gaps. This section of the 

National Action Plan describes the rationale that supports each of the seven goals and suggests 

strategies for achieving them. Many of the strategies highlight actions that particular organizations or 

professions can take to further these goals. It will take everyone working together to improve access to 

understandable and actionable health information and services. 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 8

Goal 1—Develop and Disseminate Health and Safety Information 

That Is Accurate, Accessible, and Actionable

In today’s communication-rich environment, people look for information about their health and safety 

to understand diagnoses, decide on treatments, make prevention decisions, and evaluate risks to their 

health.77 And we know that much of the health and safety information available is too technical, 

complex, and unclear about recommended actions. Safety information refers to information about 

avoiding injury, danger, or risk. The gap between the readability of written health information and the 

literacy skills of individuals is well-documented.12, 78 

Despite the popularity of the Internet as a news source for some age groups, many Americans get their 

health information from local television news. The median airtime for a health story on local television 

news is 33 seconds.79 One study of television health coverage documented sensational claims not 

supported by data, commercialism, disregard for the uncertainty of clinical trials, and single-source 

stories.80 A survey of journalists found that only 18 percent had specialized training in health reporting 

and 50 percent were not familiar with health literacy.

81 

The ways in which health and safety information are communicated to the public have a significant 

impact on health literacy. Numerous attributes of our health system contribute to poor health 

information: 

■ Technical and medical terminology in public communications 

■ Confusing or unnecessary statistics

■ Nuanced or unclear recommendations and explanations of risk

■ Over-reliance on written communication

■ A focus on awareness and information rather than action and behavior

■ Limited use of cultural preferences and practices when targeting and tailoring information and 

interventions 

The average person requires access to important health and safety messages, including public health 

alerts and emergency preparedness instructions, in ways that make sense to them. Public health officials 

must provide the public and the press with clear, concrete information and advice and use 

communication channels and formats that aid public understanding. Public health officials must 

recognize that some communities face multiple communication barriers. For example, limited health 

literacy and limited English proficiency (LEP) frequently coexist. Therefore, interventions for vulnerable 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 1 9

populations, such as those with LEP, should focus on health literacy and language to improve two-way, 

interactive communication.82

Key organizations and professionals play a critical role in developing and disseminating health and safety 

information to the public and professionals:

■ Organizations and individuals that develop and disseminate health and safety information:

– Health care providers

– Public health officials

– Health communicators and educators

– Health care facilities

– Government agencies

– Commercial, academic, and nonprofit producers of health and safety information

■ Payers of health care services, such as health plans, government health care purchasers, and 

employers 

■ Print, audiovisual, and electronic media

■ Those responsible for food, drug, and medical device production and distribution

■ Employers

Payers of health care services—including health plans, government health care purchasers, and 

employers—play a pivotal role because they provide to their beneficiaries general consumer health 

information and complex legal and medical information that pertains to rights, responsibilities, 

coverage, and payment of health care services. All the strategies listed for organizations that develop 

and disseminate health and safety information apply to health care payers.

Strategies to improve information about food, drugs, and medical devices also merit special attention. 

Individuals with limited health literacy skills are at particular risk for misunderstanding medical 

information on product labels, manuals, package inserts, and nutrition labels.21, 22, 23 Numerous 

organizations have concluded this information can be simplified to enhance understanding, adherence 

to intended instructions, and safe and effective use.83, 84, 85, 86 The United States Pharmacopeia and the 

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy already recognize the importance of clear labeling, 

particularly for prescription drugs. They each have initiatives to create standards and guidelines to 

improve the communication of information on prescription labels.87, 88
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 0

Because of the employment-based system of health insurance, employers play a key role in shaping 

available health information and services. Employers have a self-interest in having healthy employees and 

can be a channel for tools and resources. They can sponsor onsite programs that build employees’ health 

literacy skills and can help insurance companies and health information providers create employeefriendly information and services.

Strategies for Organizations and Individuals That Develop and Disseminate 

Health and Safety Information 

■ Participate in ongoing training in health literacy that focuses on improving clear communication 

and information design practices

■ Involve members of the target population—including persons with limited health literacy—in 

planning, developing, implementing, disseminating, and evaluating health and safety 

information

■ Ensure that health and safety information is culturally and linguistically appropriate and 

motivating

■ Issue plain language guidance for the development of all public health and safety information

■ Include specific steps for taking action and aligning information with services and supports 

available in the community

■ Build networks with community and faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and 

nontraditional partners—such as foster care services, poison control centers, and literacy 

service providers— to deliver health and safety information to different points in the 

community

■ Leverage technology and electronic health tools to deliver health information and services at 

the time, in the place, and in the multiple formats people need and want

■ Ensure access to the Internet and devices that deliver health information services 

■ Promote health literacy improvement efforts through professional and advocacy organizations

■ Create documents that demonstrate best practices in clear communication and information 

design

■ Test consumer health information and Web sites to ensure that consumers understand the 

information and can take appropriate actions
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the F uture

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 1

Strategies for Payers of Health Care Services 

■ Review and analyze existing laws, policies, and regulations that make all types of health 

information (e.g., general health, safety, medication, health care coverage, financing, and 

informed consent) difficult to use 

■ Ensure that all consumer health communication—including applications, benefits materials, 

rights and responsibilities, letters, and health and wellness information—incorporate health 

literacy principles

■ Develop campaigns that bring awareness to health literacy issues in health care organizations 

■ Build partnerships with physicians as part of a multidisciplinary team that works to improve the 

health literacy skills of the care team and consumers 

■ Develop metrics to assess organizational results from health literacy improvement efforts

Strategies in Action

Creating Understandable Health Information Improves 

Access to Care

The California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal) recently partnered with the University 

of California–Berkeley School of Public Health to help seniors and people with disabilities 

understand their Medi-Cal health care choices. The School of Public Health used 

participatory design to create a guidebook in English, Spanish, and Chinese that explains 

enrollment options and benefits. The guidebook is easy to understand and includes accurate 

cultural adaptations. An evaluation showed that the guidebook has increased understanding 

of enrollment options and the capacity to make choices.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/ca.htm

Strategies for Print, Audiovisual, and Electronic Media 

■ Include training on health reporting and health literacy in schools of journalism and public 

health 

■ Report consistent, clear messages with action steps for health promotion and disease 

prevention 

■ Use local, community, and ethnic media to raise awareness of health information and services in 

the community and overcome barriers to care 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 2

■ Tell stories about the impact of poor-quality health information and services on people and 

organizations in the community 

■ Work with entertainment producers and writers to increase the amount of accurate health 

information in all mass media programming

■ Support and participate in media literacy and information literacy projects 

■ Engage professional associations (e.g., the Association of Healthcare Journalists) and social 

media users (e.g., bloggers) in raising awareness of and action on health literacy issues 

■ Use emerging technologies to reach all segments of society with accurate and actionable health 

information 

Strategies in Action

Using Radio To Improve Health Literacy

Radio Bilingue is the only Latino radio network in the United States, reaching out to listeners 

in nearly 80 communities across the country. The network features La Cultura Cura, a radio 

campaign that promotes health and wellness for Spanish-, Mixtec-, and Triqui-speaking farm 

workers and their families. Language and cultural barriers often keep this population from 

accessing health care and navigating the medical system.

La Cultura Cura includes talk shows, feature news reports, educational messages, and mini 

radio dramas—all designed to create health behavior changes, community action, and public 

policy changes. An evaluation of a recent campaign found that 66 percent of listeners have 

discussed health programming with others.89 Moreover, the new reports have prompted new 

pesticide drift regulations and prompted regulations that address health-related illness and 

death in fields in California.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/ca.htm

Strategies for Those Responsible for Food, Drug, and Medical Device Production 

and Distribution 

■ Standardize prescription drug labels and ensure that consumers understand such information

■ Standardize consumer-directed information about and ensure consumers’ understanding of 

prescription drugs
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 3

■ Encourage industry and academia to develop and test innovative ways to improve over-thecounter (OTC) drug labels that will help to ensure safe and effective use

■ Ensure that instructions and risk and benefit information about medical devices for use by 

consumers are written in plain language and consumer-tested for usability 

■ Increase the quantity and quality of consumer health information and decision-aids about foods 

and healthy eating where people shop and eat 

■ Ensure that advertisements about medical devices, food, and prescription and OTC drugs are 

consistent with current public health and medical recommendations 

Strategies in Action

Collaborating With Target Populations To Create Culturally Relevant Materials

Researchers at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, set out to adapt an 

English language stress management toolkit for Latinas undergoing chemotherapy. Staff at 

the Center worked with the community to identify information needs, communication 

preferences, and stress triggers. The toolkit was field tested and revised to incorporate Latina 

preferences, which revealed a strong interest in learning cause and effect as it relates to 

health issues. The testing results demonstrate the importance of going beyond translations to 

adaptation and transcreation, an approach that involves creating linguistically and culturally 

adapted materials for different ethnicities and cultures. To date, the project has resulted in 

meaningful collaborations with community members and has refined a model for creating 

health interventions that are culturally relevant and meet the literacy skills of the population.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/fl.htm

Strategies for Employers 

■ Develop workplace policies that increase and improve health information and services for 

employees and their families

■ Ensure that information and services are culturally and linguistically appropriate 

■ Engage employees in evaluating health and wellness information 

■ When selecting existing health and insurance information products, choose products that have 

been developed using health literacy principles and are culturally and linguistically appropriate
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 4

■ Consult local librarians to help build an appropriate collection of health and insurance 

information products and to connect with community resources 

■ Negotiate with health insurers to provide employee-tested health information and ensure that 

the information is culturally and linguistically appropriate 

■ Provide training, tools, and resources for employees to improve their health 

information-seeking and decisionmaking skills

Strategies in Action

Teaching Health and Literacy

The Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc., created a health literacy class for Latinas and their 

children that incorporates cultural practices, values, and family. An evaluation of participants 

showed increased understanding of health tasks, such as completing a basic medical form 

and understanding how to make an emergency phone call.90

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/fl.htm
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 5

Goal 2—Promote Changes in the Health Care Delivery System That 

Improve Health Information, Communication, Informed 

Decisionmaking, and Access to Health Services 

Our Nation’s health care system is inherently complex. It includes clinical and public health services. 

Many Americans are forced to piece together health care coverage and financing to receive health care. 

Health insurance information for enrollment, use of benefits, coverage, and out-of-pocket costs is 

complicated and often unfamiliar for even highly literate individuals. Recent shifts in the delivery of 

care—including specialization and fragmentation of care, an emphasis on self-management, and 

complex financing and coverage requirements—have placed additional demands on patients to be 

informed and proactive about their health. 

Many factors in the current health care system contribute to limited health literacy, including: 

■ Lack of coordination among health care providers

■ Confusing forms and instructions

■ Limited use of multimedia to convey information

■ Insufficient time and incentives for patient education

■ Differences in language and cultural preferences and expectations between doctors and 

patients

■ Overuse of medical and technical terms to explain vital information

The quality of clinician–patient communication can affect health outcomes, including how well patients 

follow instructions from clinicians.

43, 82, 91, 92 But few health care professionals receive much formal 

training in communication, particularly in working with people with limited literacy.93, 94 In recent years, 

the National Board of Medical Examiners has added a 1-day clinical skills exam for all medical students 

that includes an assessment of communication and interpersonal skills. Currently, the clinical skills test 

does not address how limited health literacy affects interactions with patients. Because health literacy is 

a relatively new clinical concept, most health care professionals already in practice have not had formal 

training in improving communication skills; although a growing number of continuing medical education 

courses in health literacy are available. The American Medical Association, the HHS Health Resources 

and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Medical 

Library Association, for example, have low or no-cost training available for professionals who provide 

health services. 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 6

In addition, more must be done to meet the needs of people whose primary language is not English or 

who have a disability that affects their communication skills. Forty-seven million people in the United 

States over age 5 speak a language other than English at home, and 21 million adults have LEP.95

Although Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects the rights to medical care for people with LEP, 

language barriers—particularly in the availability of medical interpreter services—continue to exist.96

Individuals with communication disorders—such as impaired hearing or eyesight, aphasia, or autism—

face special health literacy challenges. Communication barriers for persons with disabilities have been 

documented.97 

A growing body of research suggests that changing the health care system to address these factors may 

improve the reach and effectiveness of care and create a more person-centered system.

14, 28, 78, 98, 99

Several organizations and professionals play a critical role in promoting changes in the health care

delivery system to improve health information, communication, informed decisionmaking, and access to 

clinical and public health services: 

■ Health care professionals 

■ Educators and licensing and credentialing organizations

■ Accreditation organizations

■ Health care executives

■ Health information and library professionals 

Educators and licensing, credentialing, and accreditation organizations play a unique and critical role in 

shaping the training and practice standards for all types of health care and public health professionals. 

They can lead the way in changing the skills and competencies of professionals and the organizations in 

which they practice and provide services. Health care executives, who often are not mentioned in 

discussions of health literacy improvement, can provide leadership and create and oversee the policies, 

goals, and performance assessments that are needed to make health literacy improvement a part of 

organizational culture. 

Strategies for Health Care Professionals (Including Anyone Who Is Part of a 

Health Care or Public Health Services Team) 

■ Use different types of communication and tools with patients, including vetted pictures and 

models and scorecards, to support written and oral communication with patients and their 

caregivers

■ Use existing programs, such as AHRQ’s Questions Are the Answers, to prepare patients and 

providers for visits and structure their communication
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 7

■ Use direct and developmentally appropriate communication with children to build better 

understanding of their health and health care

■ Use proven methods of checking patient understanding, such as the teach-back method, to 

ensure that patients understand health information and risk and benefit tradeoffs associated 

with treatments, procedures, tests, and medical devices 

■ Ensure that pharmacists provide the necessary counseling to consumers in language they 

understand for dispensed medications as required by law 

■ Use patient-centered technologies at all stages of the health care process to support the 

information and decisionmaking needs of patients

■ Use technology, including social media, to expand patients’ access to the health care team and 

information 

■ Participate in ongoing training in health literacy, plain language, and culturally and linguistically 

appropriate services (CLAS) and encourage colleagues and staff to be trained 

■ Advocate for requirements in continuing education for health care providers who have been 

working in the field but have not participated in health literacy, cultural competency, and 

language access training

■ Create patient-friendly environments that facilitate communication by using architecture, 

images, and language to reflect the community and its values 

■ Refer patients to public and medical libraries to get more information and assistance with 

finding accurate and actionable health information

■ Refer patients to adult education and English language programs
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 8

Strategies in Action

Using Technology to Better Serve Those With Limited Health Literacy

The IDEALL (Improving Diabetes Efforts Across Language and Literacy) Project at San 

Francisco General Hospital has found that providing patients with weekly phone calls via an 

automated telephone diabetes management system is effective at addressing the literacy and 

language needs of high-risk diabetes patients and enhancing self-management. 

Demonstrating improvements in communication and self-efficacy at a modest cost, especially 

among low-literate and LEP populations, IDEALL has proved to be an innovative approach to 

transforming the health care delivery system.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/ca.htm

Strategies for Educators and Licensing and Credentialing Organizations 

■ Include coursework on health literacy and CLAS in curricula of all health professions

■ Support health literacy and CLAS training opportunities for students and residents in all health 

professions 

■ Incorporate diverse patients, including new readers, in course presentations and trainings for 

health professionals

■ Include assessment of health literacy and CLAS skills in licensure requirements for all health 

professions 

■ Establish minimum continuing education requirements in health literacy and CLAS for all health 

professions 

■ Increase the number of racially and ethnically diverse and/or bilingual health care professionals
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals f or the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 2 9

Strategies in Action

Using Patient Navigators To Overcome Barriers to Care

The Integrated Health Network (IHN) is a group of eight providers that serve more than 

200,000 uninsured and underinsured residents in the city and county of St. Louis, Missouri. 

The Health Education and Literacy Program, a network initiative, uses lay health coaches to 

reach uninsured and underinsured residents and empower them to take control of their 

health, communicate with providers, and become more confident in navigating the health care 

delivery system. 

Despite barriers—such as transportation access, financial obstacles, and lack of trust in the 

health care system—to health care among this population, results of a qualitative study 

determined the effectiveness of health coaches was positive.100 Preliminary findings revealed 

a significant increase—from 57 to 81 percent—in patients who had a primary care provider 

after working with a health coach. Moreover, after working with a health coach, 27 percent of 

chronic disease patients (up from 1 percent) were able to discuss their self-management 

plan.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/mo.htm

Strategies for Accreditation Organizations 

■ Adopt accreditation standards for health care organizations that require care delivery systems 

to address health literacy and CLAS

■ Incorporate health literacy and CLAS process and outcome performance measures into 

accreditation requirements

Strategies for Health Care Executives 

■ Increase awareness of and compliance with Title VI, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and 

other laws designed to ensure that individuals with LEP and/or disabilities have access to health 

information and language assistance

■ Provide comprehensive language access and assistive technologies, including interpreter 

services, at every point of contact to meet the needs of diverse patient communities and create 

a person-centered environment

■ Train all staff, including executives and support staff, in the principles of health literacy and CLAS 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 0

■ Remove informational barriers and create a welcoming, easy-to-navigate, shame-free 

environment by using such methods as well-designed signage and offering assistance with forms

■ Encourage employees to take advantage of continuing education opportunities to improve 

communication and CLAS skills

■ Integrate health literacy and CLAS audit tools, standards, and scorecards into all quality process 

and performance improvement activities and metrics 

■ Establish programs for patient navigators, health coaches (electronic and/or people), and/or 

community health workers to help patients access recommended services and information

■ Negotiate with third-party payers on reimbursements for patient education and interpreter 

services

■ Establish formal mechanisms to review and address the literacy level, quality of translation, and 

cultural appropriateness of all written information for patients 

■ Integrate health information technologies (e.g., electronic and personal health records) and 

enhance underdeveloped technology platforms to support patient–provider communication and 

health coaches

■ Include members of patient communities, including new readers, in organizational assessments 

and health literacy improvement efforts

■ Evaluate the contribution of poor communication and information to patient safety incidents 

and poor health outcomes 

■ Provide incentives to encourage employees to use good communication practices

■ Provide patient support services, such as previsit or hospitalization reminders and postvisit and 

discharge followup calls, to help patients prepare and know what to do when they are home 

Strategies for Health Information and Library Professionals 

■ Help to train all health care staff in the principles of health literacy and plain language 

■ Create collections or repositories of materials (e.g., insurance forms and instructions, informed 

consent and other legal documents, aftercare and medication instruction, and patient education 

materials) in several languages and review the materials with members of the target population

■ Help to disseminate existing communication tools and resources for patients
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 1

Strategies in Action

Meeting the Needs of Patients With Limited Literacy Skills

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) serves 1.3 million residents, 

25 percent of whom have LEP. To meet the needs of those with limited health literacy, HHC 

has a central repository of (1) multilingual materials that are reviewed for literacy level by 

multilingual staff who are trained in the principles of plain language; (2) patient-centered 

resources based on consumer studies; and (3) gateway resources, such as interpreters and 

client navigators.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/ny.htm
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 2

Goal 3—Incorporate Accurate, Standards-Based, and 

Developmentally Appropriate Health and Science Information and 

Curricula in Child Care and Education Through the University Level 

Health literacy skills start early in life and are part of the process of caring for and educating children, 

adolescents, and young adults. Programs, such as Head Start, address achievement gaps in literacy 

beginning in the early years of a child’s life. Health literacy skills are equally important, and more can be 

done to integrate health literacy in early child care and education. Much of early child care is informal; if 

not done by parents or guardians, then care is often provided by social networks of family, friends, 

neighbors, and private caregivers. Reaching adults, who provide the early years of care, with information 

about how to develop and build children’s health literacy skills is essential. Recognizing the importance 

of the earliest years, Early Head Start programs target infants, toddlers, and their families with health 

and development information and programs. Research shows that children enrolled in Head Start have 

better access to health services and higher rates of immunization than children who are not and their 

parents have better coping skills and better mental health than parents of children who are not in the 

program.101 The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program that provides food, health care referrals, 

and health information to low-income women is another opportunity to reach people who most 

urgently need support to access accurate and actionable health information.

CDC and others have recognized the value of teaching functional health information in school, including 

the essential health skills necessary to adopt, practice, and maintain healthy behaviors.102 Health literacy 

is becoming more relevant as adolescents are increasingly involved with their health care,103 regularly 

interact with the health system, and access health information that informs their actions and 

behaviors.104 The body of research strongly suggests that children of all ages have the potential to 

understand a great deal about health and how to access health information.

105, 106 Despite a strong 

evidence base and the issuance of National Health Education Standards, significant barriers to health 

literacy continue to exist in our Nation’s schools. According to the 2004 IOM report on health literacy, 

the lack of consistent health curricula across grades K–12 may reduce student health literacy.1 The 

National Health Education Standards can build health knowledge and skills that are critical to achieve 

proficient health literacy. 

Several educational professionals play a critical role in integrating health literacy in early child care and 

education through the university level:

■ Early childhood administrators, managers, and policymakers

■ Educational administrators, managers, and policymakers (K–12 and university)
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 3

In addition to developing general literacy skills, school-based health education classes provide an 

excellent opportunity to facilitate the development of skills specific to health literacy, such as how to 

evaluate credible information on the Internet.107 Media literacy and information literacy approaches 

provide evidence that students can learn to be critical thinkers and seekers of health information.108, 109

Numeracy skills already being developed in schools can be applied to health literacy. Schools and their 

libraries play a fundamental role in the development of a health literate population. Classroom-based 

health education, as both an independent discipline and a component of coordinated school health 

programs, is the nucleus for the development of health literacy in today’s children and adolescents.110

Strategies for Early Childhood Administrators, Managers, and Policymakers 

■ Promote the availability of formal early childhood education for all eligible children 

■ Embed accurate, accessible, and actionable health information in all early childhood programs, 

such as Head Start and WIC

■ Connect efforts to improve children’s health literacy skills with adult programs, such as adult 

education courses

■ Hire individuals with appropriate formal training in all child care programs 

■ Require coursework in health education for all students who are in postsecondary schools and 

preparing for a career in early childhood education

■ Provide professional development for all child care teachers on the link between early childhood 

education literacy and health literacy

■ Increase the amount of health education instruction in early childhood education

Strategies for Educational Administrators, Managers, and Policymakers 

(K–12 and University) 

■ Promote health literacy by including the National Health Education Standards in school 

curriculum reform initiatives

■ Ensure that all students can pass NAEP assessments

■ Ensure that all eligible students graduate from high school 

■ Create and require certification standards for teachers in health education 

■ Require annual coursework in health literacy and health education for all students in 

postsecondary schools 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 4

■ Require all preservice teachers to have coursework in the instructional methods of heath 

education 

■ Build partnerships with local hospitals, clinics, health care providers, librarians, and adult 

education centers to connect the health literacy skill-building activities of children and adults

■ Provide professional development for all teachers on health education teaching strategies, 

topics, skills, and age-appropriate health education

■ Incorporate health education into existing science, math, literacy, social studies, and computer 

instruction in grades K–12 by embedding health-related tasks, skills, and examples into lesson 

plans

Strategies in Action

Using College Students as Agents of Change and Community Educators

The Health Literacy Initiative of Project SHINE (Students Helping in Naturalization of Elders) 

engages health profession students in health literacy services for older immigrants and 

refugees. To address challenges with this population, Project Shine’s students participated in 

health fairs, health education workshops, health screenings, and community needs 

assessments. The Health Literacy Initiative also engaged adult learners and teachers of 

English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) to develop a health literacy curriculum 

designed for older immigrant adults to use in ESOL classes, tutoring sessions, and 

workshops. The curriculum includes five topics: the doctor’s office, the hospital, illness

management, healthy aging, and medications.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/mo.htm
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 5

Goal 4—Support and Expand Local Efforts To Provide Adult 

Education, English Language Instruction, and Culturally and 

Linguistically Appropriate Health Information Services in the 

Community

Communities play a central role in supporting efforts to improve health literacy. Emphasis should be 

placed on community opportunities for communication, education, and peer support surrounding 

health information seeking and access to care. Communities and organizations can support programs, 

such as ESOL, at the same time that they ensure health information and services meet the linguistic 

needs of the populations they serve. 

Several groups from the community play an important role in supporting efforts to improve health 

literacy:

■ Educators and community service providers

■ Health care team and health information and library professionals

Health care and adult education communities are natural allies in efforts to improve health literacy. 

These two sectors can partner to provide tools that help people navigate and access health care 

services. Adult education curricula have frequently—and successfully—incorporated health lessons, and 

adult education sectors in several States have launched health literacy initiatives.9 For example, the 

Virginia Adult Education Health Literacy Toolkit grew from many teachers’ observations of adult literacy 

learners whose education paused or ended because a small health problem became bigger and brought 

on a host of other difficulties.111 The toolkit provides information and resources to (1) educate the 

educator about health care in the United States and cultural issues relating to health and (2) simplify the 

creation of health lessons and curricula for teachers and programs. Caregivers, whose ranks are growing, 

also need to be connected with adult education programs to improve their own skills and assist those 

for whom they care. 

Libraries of all types, including public and medical libraries, have become important partners in supporting 

community-based health literacy efforts and working with health care professionals. Many libraries 

already support training programs in basic literacy. Librarians provide health information to patrons 

through a variety of methods—including assisting with public Internet access and searching, printing 

resources, referring patrons to local health services, and distributing and posting information. However, 

library staff members, like health professionals and health providers, require additional training so they 

can respond appropriately to the health literacy needs of library patrons.

33 Health literacy intersects with 

information literacy, which is a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is 

needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.109 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 6

Strategies in Action 

Maximizing Teachable Moments for Adult Education

The Multicultural Resource Center, Inc., in Seffner, Florida, provides GED preparation 

classes and adult basic education classes for a diverse group of 18- to 83-year-old students. 

Mitigating the disparity between what the health care system demands and the skills of the 

students, staff at the Center create teachable moments to help students solve life issues and 

challenges. Staff help to educate the students through such activities as group discussions, 

certification classes, and guest speakers who talk about everyday challenges (e.g., reading 

prescription labels). Significant achievements include a partnership with the First Missionary 

Baptist Church to educate members of the community and the annual Multicultural Festival, 

during which information about health care and educational services is distributed. 

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/fl.htm

Strategies for Educators and Community Service Providers 

■ Support community-based programs that empower people to be more involved and active in 

health and teach skills, such as computer use, to assist people in acquiring credible health 

information

■ Infuse health literacy skills into curricula for adult literacy, ESOL, and family literacy programs

■ Facilitate collaborations among the adult literacy and ESOL communities; health care partners; 

and community-, faith-, and academic-based organizations

■ Include high school, college, and professional school students in health literacy programs to 

bridge cultural and generational divides 

■ Collaborate with medical librarians to create health information centers in public libraries 

■ Train more librarians and reference staff in health literacy skills and health information 

technologies so they can help to build the health literacy skills of patrons

■ Create opportunities for health education and learning in communities through creative uses of 

technology and multimedia

■ Provide professional development in health education topics and skills for those teaching adult 

literacy, ESOL, and family literacy programs
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 7

Strategies in Action

Facilitating Collaborations Between Adult Educators and Health Care 

Professionals

The Adult Learning Center, the New York City Office of the Mayor, the Harvard School of 

Public Health, the Literacy Assistance Center, and the Harlem Hospital Center piloted a 

health literacy study circle—an innovative approach that infuses health literacy skills into an 

adult education curriculum. Through such activities as tours of health care facilities, literacy 

instructors and students gained context for their work on health literacy skills and a stronger 

comfort level with the health care system. The health care organizations gained insight into 

the needs of low-literate and immigrant populations. The Literacy Assistance Center reports 

that through partnerships between the adult educators and health professionals, many adult 

literacy students were able to acquire health insurance and become more knowledgeable of 

specific health issues and health services in their communities, and health professionals have 

become more culturally and linguistically attuned to the needs of patients. Partnering has also 

contributed to building community capacity, as each agency shares resources and works to 

address the same disadvantaged population.112

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/ny.htm

Strategies for the Health Care Team and Health Information and Library 

Professionals 

■ Become familiar with information and literacy resources in your community and refer 

consumers to them

■ Invite adult education classes to visit your health center and adult education students to speak 

at meetings and symposia

■ Be a guest lecturer in an adult education class, serve as a curriculum advisor, or otherwise 

collaborate with adult educators in your community

■ Build ongoing partnerships with community organizations and local libraries to support the 

health information needs in the community 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 8

Strategies in Action

Partnerships Between Local Libraries and Hospitals

The Santa Clara (California) Medical Center, Santa Clara County Library, and Plane Tree 

Health Library have partnered since 2001 to operate a center for health literacy on the 

campus of the medical Center. The community learning center provides information about a 

variety of medical topics and conditions in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese in a variety of 

formats (print, audio, and video) with a focus on easy-to read materials. The Medical Center 

provides readily accessible space to patients; the Plane Tree Library provides supervision 

and expertise in resource development; and the Santa Clara Library recruits adult literacy 

students to visit the Center and provide literacy support to patrons referred by health care 

providers.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/ca.htm
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 3 9

Goal 5—Build Partnerships, Develop Guidance, and Change Policies

Productive partnerships among all types of organizations and professional groups will go a long way 

toward identifying and implementing the most effective strategies and actions to improve health 

literacy. Organizations and professions can go it alone, but progress toward the goals will be faster and 

more sustainable with consensus on common strategies, outcomes, interventions, and products among 

many organizations, associations, and agencies:

■ Philanthropic, nonprofit, voluntary, advocacy, academic, and professional organizations

■ Government agencies

The organizational base should expand beyond traditional health care and educational sectors and 

include philanthropic, nonprofit, voluntary, advocacy, academic, and professional associations. These 

organizations often provide funding for research and interventions, develop and disseminate health 

information, advocate for priorities and programs, and even deliver health services in communities. 

They can convene stakeholder groups and provide input to public sector plans and projects. Private 

institutions can build commitment among national health associations and other stakeholders to 

promote health literacy. They are well-positioned to coordinate action on literacy and health by 

establishing links between national health associations and the Federal government, literacy 

organizations, and State and local health service providers.1

Nonprofit, voluntary, advocacy, and professional associations can inform and educate consumers about 

their rights and responsibilities and help them to use health care services more effectively. They can 

help to educate health care providers about the need to communicate health information clearly. They 

can give providers tools to improve their communication skills. They may also publish evidence-based 

decision aids and guides for diverse audiences. Through publications, Web sites, and events, such 

organizations contact millions of consumers and health professionals each year. They provide 

information and services that can model health literacy practices. 

Public health agencies must also play a more prominent role because of their population-based 

approach and their responsibility to promote and protect the health of all. Such agencies have a wide 

range of activities that directly connect to health literacy. For example, they develop and disseminate 

health information, pay for and deliver health care services, collect data on population health issues, 

and conduct evaluations of interventions to determine effectiveness. Public health agencies also 

develop regulations, policies, guidelines, and forms that affect the practices of other organizations, such 

as schools and employers. Developing and sustaining productive partnerships that integrate health 

literacy with traditional public health and connect public health with the other sectors identified in this 

plan are essential to achieving goals. One example is the national network of community-based aging 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 0

organizations in every community in the country. They consist of State offices on aging, tribal 

organizations, area agencies on aging, family caregivers, service providers and volunteers to provide 

home- and community-based services to older individuals. 

Strategies in Action

Building a Statewide Health Literacy Campaign

Health Literacy Missouri (HLM), an initiative of the Missouri Foundation for Health, works to 

strengthen health literacy and improve health communication across Missouri. In the 2 years

since its start, HLM has begun a health literacy awareness campaign and is creating a 

Statewide health literacy surveillance system. Initial efforts include developing a model to 

map health literacy in Missouri and identifying communities with people who have limited 

health literacy skills, compiling an inventory of health literacy resources for health 

professionals, and promoting training and understanding of health literacy among journalists.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/mo.htm

Strategies for Philanthropic, Nonprofit, Voluntary, Advocacy, Academic, and 

Professional Organizations 

■ Include health literacy in strategic plans, requests for proposals, grant awards, programs, and 

educational initiatives

■ Develop funding guidelines for health literacy projects that can be shared across sectors

■ Identify areas for guidelines and standards development to foster clear communication and 

usable health information and services

■ Work with communities to develop cost-effective strategies for health literacy improvement 

■ Participate in and help to recruit cross-disciplinary coalitions to promote and advocate for 

health literacy improvement 

■ Increase and leverage funding for health literacy initiatives—both alone and integrated into 

existing programs

■ Facilitate the sharing of resources and tools for improving health literacy 

■ Educate policymakers and other decisionmakers about the need to communicate health issues 

clearly and about the importance of health literacy and its contributions to improvements in 

health outcomes and decreased costs 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 1

Strategies in Action

Integrating Adult Learners in the Provision of Health Care

The Iowa Health System partners with New Readers of Iowa to make health care more 

understandable to adult learners and others. Much of their work involves making small 

changes that have a big impact on improving access to and understanding of the health care

system. New Readers review health forms, serve on committees, and participate in needs 

assessments to offer the adult learner’s point of view about health literacy. As Archie Willard, 

the founder of New Readers of Iowa said, “To me, the words health literacy are a call to 

action for medical doctors, medical professionals, and adults who have reading problems to 

work together to improve communications to receive better health care. The adult learner 

needs to be at the table and their voices should be heard. No one can tell our stories for us.” 

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/mo.htm

Strategies for Government Agencies 

■ Review, analyze, and propose changes to existing laws, policies, and regulations that make it 

difficult to use all types of health information (e.g., general health and safety, medication, health 

care coverage and financing, and informed consent) 

■ Assess the need for an Office of Health Literacy to provide a focal point for health literacy 

improvement activities

■ Support national and State data collection on health literacy factors 

■ Use census and survey data to map limited health literacy “hot spots” and prioritize 

interventions and resources for communities and individuals with the most limited health 

literacy

■ Collaborate across government bureaucracies—such as public health, education, transportation, 

social services, and environmental and occupational health and global health—to provide clear 

and consistent public information about health issues and recommendations 

■ Facilitate public discussion about health information and services needed in communities to 

support better health outcomes 

■ Support research and evaluation studies that examine health literacy factors in the study of 

other issues, such as patient safety, emergency preparedness, and health care costs 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 2

■ Identify areas for guidelines and standards development to foster clear communication and 

usable health information and services and apply existing guidelines and standards in plain 

language and CLAS

■ Use clear communication in all public communication and approve the use of clear 

communication by nongovernmental organizations that have their public information reviewed 

by government agencies 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 3

Goal 6—Increase Basic Research and the Development, 

Implementation, and Evaluation of Practices and Interventions To 

Improve Health Literacy

Many of the health literacy intervention studies to date have been relatively small in size. Much of the 

evidence on interventions comes from improving doctor–patient communication, simplifying written 

materials, and using video or other supplementary materials. More studies are needed that compare 

more than one intervention.113 Various health professionals are critical to such studies:

■ Researchers, evaluators, and funders

■ Public health professionals

Government agencies, foundations, and research universities should prioritize funding for qualitative 

and quantitative studies related to health literacy improvement. 

Strategies for Researchers, Evaluators, and Funders 

■ Identify and address gaps, such as numeracy and visual communication, in health literacy 

research

■ Collaborate to develop a national research agenda and include health literacy innovations and 

interventions in research plans and goals

■ Develop more rigorous and comprehensive methods to measure individual and population 

health literacy skills that capture the full range of skills, including listening and speaking, writing, 

numeracy, and cultural and conceptual knowledge

■ Develop methods to measure or estimate health literacy skills at local levels

■ Develop methods to measure the full range of health literacy skills of health professionals and 

organizations

■ Conduct studies of the economic impact of limited health literacy

■ Explore technology-based interventions to improve health literacy

■ Assess barriers and strategies to improve access to health information and navigation of the 

health care system

■ Support systematic reviews and evaluations of effectiveness and implementation of health 

literacy interventions
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 4

■ Evaluate existing health literacy interventions for their impact on (1) people’s ability to use 

health information and services more effectively and (2) cost, safety, and health outcomes

■ Include health literacy interventions in other research areas, such as chronic diseases, patient 

safety, immunizations, and health equity (i.e., an individual’s ability to attain his or her full 

health potential regardless of social position or other socially determined circumstances)

■ Develop and implement health literacy interventions based on theories and models—drawing 

from such related disciplines as communication, education, cognitive science, and medical 

sociology

■ Expand interventions beyond the clinic and into community settings and engage in communitybased participatory research

■ Remove barriers that prevent persons with limited health literacy skills from participating in 

clinical trials and other health-related studies

■ Include health literacy measures in national and other surveys

Strategies for Public Health Professionals 

■ Explore the feasibility and utility of a health literacy scorecard or composite index for individual 

and system monitoring of health literacy on a national or sub-national level 

■ Include health literacy measures in public health data collection and surveillance

■ Increase support for systems- and community-based research in health literacy improvement 

■ Include health literacy factors in the evaluation of public health interventions in such other 

areas as chronic disease prevention and management 
S ectio n 3 | V ision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 5

Goal 7—Increase the Dissemination and Use of Evidence-Based 

Health Literacy Practices and Interventions 

Advances in health care are limited by a failure to translate research findings into practice.

114 Original 

research may take as long as one or two decades to be put into routine clinical practice.115 Increasing 

health literacy research is not enough—especially if the research is not used to create evidence-based 

interventions or the interventions are not widely disseminated to organizations, professionals, and 

consumers. The disciplines of communication and social marketing could make significant contributions 

to shaping research and practice on dissemination activities.

The literature suggests that passive diffusion (e.g., clinical practice guidelines; mass mailing; and 

presentations to large, heterogeneous groups) is largely ineffective in achieving widespread program 

adoption.116, 117 Ineffective dissemination wastes scarce resources. Effective dissemination of evidencebased programs often requires a more active, systematic, and controlled approach and strong 

organizational commitment.118, 119, 120, 121 

Several groups play critical roles in disseminating and using evidence-based health literacy practices and 

interventions:

■ Researchers, academic organizations and journals, and health information and library 

professionals

■ Professional associations, advocacy groups, and funders

But dissemination is not an end in itself. Intended benefits depend on integration and implementation by 

end users who will also determine the relevance and usability of whatever is disseminated.122 Therefore, 

end users need to be considered early in the process of generating the research they might use.

Interactive engagement and dialogue with the public is also vital to disseminating and using evidencebased health literacy research. 

Strategies for Researchers, Academic Organizations and Journals, and Health 

Information and Library Professionals 

■ Actively engage practitioners, community members, consumers, and policymakers in the 

research process

■ Use participatory approaches to help shape research questions and ensure greater relevance, 

credibility, and implementation 

■ Use a variety of channels and formats to disseminate evidence-based research findings that are 

appropriate to the target audiences, including health professionals and adult educators
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 6

■ Consider developing a health literacy Web site 

■ Emphasize dissemination as an essential step in the scientific process and a fundamental part of 

public health principles

■ Explore new mechanisms to pull together and share data and research findings as they become 

available 

■ Speed dissemination of results of health literacy research to practitioners, communities, 

policymakers, and researchers in other disciplines

■ Report on findings, such as conditions when evidence-based practices did not work in specific 

situations or populations

■ Collaborate to develop and disseminate trade and consumer pieces to accompany scientific 

articles

Strategies for Professional Associations, Advocacy Groups, and Funders 

■ Increase funding for dissemination and implementation research of evidence-based health 

literacy interventions

■ Increase resources for technical assistance, training, and time for researchers, grantees, and 

health care providers to build the capacity to disseminate and implement evidence-based 

interventions

■ Provide access to evidence-based information and tools about interventions

■ Develop guidance on how to change practice as a result of research findings

■ Support networks of researchers and practitioners to facilitate learning and changes in practices

■ Encourage members and researchers to report on gaps in evidence-based practices and 

interventions that did not work in practice

■ Require strategic dissemination plans that go beyond publishing in academic journals 
S ectio n 3 | Vision and Goals for the Future

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 7

Strategies in Action

Identifying Service Gaps and Developing an 

Inventory of Resources

When a needs assessment revealed a gap in professionals’ access to health literacy tools 

and resources, the St. Louis University School of Public Health and Missouri Health Literacy 

Enhancement (MHLE) compiled an inventory of health literacy resources for health 

professionals. The database currently holds more than 10,000 resources—including tools, 

educational materials, scientific literature, surveys, and curricula. The easy-to-use system 

walks users through a series of steps that are designed to assist them in identifying 

resources. Each item in the database includes a description, user reviews, recommended 

resources, and evaluation and scoring information. The database is still in the development 

phases, and the school hopes to obtain feedback on the prototype in the coming months.

For more on this strategy, visit the townhall summary at 

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/TownHall/mo.htm
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 8

4SECTION Creating and Sustaining 

National Action 

 

T

ranslating these strategies and opportunities into meaningful action will require great 

commitment on the part of a broad range of individuals, communities, professions, and 

organizations. Each of us has a role to play in advancing the principle that all Americans have the 

right to accurate and actionable health information. A successful societal response to limited health 

literacy requires coordination, communication, and evaluation. The following six principles should be 

used to create and sustain national action to improve health literacy:

1. Actions should be cross-disciplinary. Partnerships among all levels of government, public and 

private institutions, health care providers, educators, and community groups will increase the 

likelihood that gaps will be addressed.

2. Actions should be strategically planned and based on evidence. The choice of action should be 

based on feasibility, effectiveness, and suitability. Organizations and institutions should develop 

a strategic process to achieve improvements in health literacy.

3. Actions should be evaluated. Groups should document the short- and long-term effects of 

efforts to improve health literacy whenever possible. Furthermore, information, findings, 

successes, and lessons learned should be shared widely.

4. Actions should involve continued public education on the extent and associations of limited 

health literacy. 

5. Actions should include laws, policies, and similar institutional supports that facilitate health

literacy. 

6. Actions should involve communities and individuals that are most affected by limited health 

literacy. 

This National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy aims to stimulate a societywide movement to make 

the vision of a health literate America a reality. No single action will be sufficient, and disconnected 

actions will not create the scale of change required. This plan provides an integrated framework to bring 

together organizations and people at all levels of society to work for fundamental changes in the design 

and delivery of health information and services. 
S ectio n 4 | Creating and Sustaining National Action

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 4 9

Access to accurate and actionable health information and usable health services is a matter of 

fundamental fairness and empowerment. Without such access, we cannot hope to realize the promises 

of medical research, health information technology, and advances in health care delivery. The Nation 

must come together to change the way we communicate about health. 
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 5 0

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National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 5 9

APPENDIX B What You Can Do To 

Improve Health Literacy 

 

Y

ou have an important part to play in improving health literacy. You can talk to your friends, 

family, librarians, and coworkers about health literacy and get involved in the community. 

You can become an advocate for your own health with your providers, employers, and 

policymakers. 

Here is a list of steps that you can take to start improving health literacy where you live. 

For Individuals and Families 

Improve Communication With Your Doctors and Other Health Professionals 

■ Write down or record information from your doctors and their staff. 

■ Ask your doctor, nurse, and pharmacist and other people in the office, clinic, pharmacy, or 

hospital to use familiar language.

■ Ask questions if something is not clear. Know who to call if you have questions when you get 

home.

■ Let your doctor and others who care for you know if you can’t understand what they are telling 

you about your health. If the information is confusing or complicated, ask for materials written 

in plain language. 

■ Volunteer to go with a friend or loved one to their next medical appointment (if culturally 

appropriate). Help them take notes and ask questions. (Note: Family members should not be 

expected to act as medical interpreters.)

■ Take advantage of existing communication tools and resources for patients, including 

standardized questions to ask your doctor.
Appendix B | What You Can Do To Improve Health Literacy

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 0

Work With Your Library and Other Community Organizations 

■ Inform local public health and safety officials about the community’s need for clear health 

communication. Take advantage of existing feedback channels (e.g., public Web sites, 

community forums, librarians, or suggestion boxes) to request public health information that is 

written in plain language.

■ Share information, stories, and trusted sources of health information with friends and family. If 

you need help to find reliable sources, ask your local public or medical librarian.

■ Use libraries and librarians to locate good quality, relevant health information. Take classes 

offered by librarians on Internet and social media tools.

■ Talk to local elected officials about the importance of health literacy in your communities.

■ Attend health education programs at your local public or hospital library, community centers, or 

faith-based organizations. Request these programs, if they aren’t offered.

■ Request information and services that are clear and easy to use to support prevention and 

healthy living. 

Help Improve Health Education at Home and in Schools 

■ Start with improving general education: 

– Read to your children every day and improve your own literacy skills. 

– Encourage teens to graduate from high school, and support them if they need help.

– Participate in activities that involve the whole family in Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum 

to reinforce what is learned in the classroom.

– Advocate for quality education for all students in the community to help ensure that all 

students graduate with the skills they need to be healthy adults. 

– If you need to improve your literacy and English language skills, enroll in GED, English for 

speakers of other languages and other skill-building courses. If classes are full, advocate for 

more resources for these classes in your community.

■ Next, work on improving health education:

– Request that local school curricula include health education.

– Ask for clear and actionable health messages, such as hand-washing, in school 

communications.
Appendix B | What You Can Do To Improve Health Literacy

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 1

– Advocate for national assessments of health knowledge in Grades 4, 8, and 12.

– Volunteer with local adult education, English language instruction, or similar community 

learning organizations that help people find and use health information. 

For Communities 

■ Start a health column in the local newspaper or create a health program on local radio or cable 

access television. Invite local doctors, public health officials, educators, and community 

members to participate.

■ Work with sponsors of local health care events (e.g., health fairs, public workshops, or free 

screenings) to spread the word about improving health literacy.

■ Organize health education programs and sponsor presentations and meetings at your local 

public or hospital library, community centers, or faith-based organizations.

■ Work with your local public health officer and city officials to ensure that important public 

health and safety information is communicated in plain language. 

■ Review the health education curriculum used in local schools. If there is no health education 

component, advocate for its inclusion. 

■ Encourage your public libraries to include current and reliable health information resources as 

part of their collections. 

■ Provide classes to build health literacy skills. 

■ Form a health literacy coalition.

■ Organize a town hall meeting around issues of health literacy. 

■ Use local and community media to raise community awareness about the effects of limited 

health literacy and community needs for better health information and services. 

For Educators 

■ Organize a trip to a local hospital, clinic, library, or adult education center. 

■ Invite health care professionals and health educators and communicators to make presentations 

to your students.
Appendix B | What You Can Do To Improve Health Literacy

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 2

■ Involve parents in health education homework.

■ Share health literacy information and resources with your colleagues. 

■ Start a health literacy club so that students become involved.

■ Find ways to integrate health literacy skills into other subject areas. 
National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 3

APPENDIX C Acknowledgments 

 

Lead Editor 

Cynthia Baur, Ph.D.

Senior Advisor, Health Literacy

Office of the Associate Director for Communication

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Contributing Editors 

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 

■ Carolyn Brooks, M.A. 

■ Sulma (Jessica) Herrera, M.P.H. 

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion 

■ Sean Arayasirikul, M.S.P.H., C.H.E.S. 

■ Linda Harris, Ph.D. 

■ Joanne Locke, M.A.S. 

■ Charlotte Neuhaus, M.H.S. 

■ Stacy Robison, M.P.H., C.H.E.S. 

■ Sandra Williams Hilfiker, M.A. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Literacy Workgroup 

■ Administration on Aging

■ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

■ Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

■ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Appendix C | Acknowledgments

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 4

■ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 

■ Health Resources and Services Administration

■ Indian Health Service

■ National Institutes of Health

■ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

■ Office of Minority Health

■ Office on Women’s Health

■ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

■ U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

Stakeholder Organizations That Participated in Meetings on the Plan 

■ Academy of General Dentistry

■ Aetna

■ Alliance of the American Dental Association

■ American Academy of Pediatrics 

■ American Association of Colleges of Nursing

■ American Association of Health Educators

■ American Association of Public Health Dentistry

■ American Association of Retired Persons

■ American College of Healthcare Executives

■ American College of Physicians Foundation 

■ American Dental Association

■ American Dental Association Foundation

■ American Dental Hygienists Association

■ American Dietetic Association

■ American Medical Association

■ American Public Health Association

■ American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

■ American Speech Language & Hearing Association

■ America’s Health Insurance Plans

■ Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Appendix C | Acknowledgments

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 5

■ Association of Clinicians for the Underserved 

■ Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

■ Center for Plain Language

■ Consumer Healthcare Products Association

■ Emergency Nurses Association—Park Ridge

■ Hispanic Dental Association

■ Institute of Medicine 

■ Johnson & Johnson

■ Joint Commission 

■ Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

■ Medical Library Association

■ Medicare Rights Center

■ Merck

■ Missouri Foundation for Health

■ National Alliance for Hispanic Health

■ National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

■ National Association of Medical Communicators

■ National Association of State Boards of Education

■ National Board of Medical Examiners

■ National Coalition for Literacy

■ National Dental Association 

■ National Institute for Literacy 

■ National School Boards Association

■ Office of the Surgeon General

■ Partnership for Clear Health Communication at the National Patient Safety Foundation 

■ Public Library Association

■ Red Cross

■ Society for Public Health Education

■ United Healthcare

■ University of Maryland

■ Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Appendix C | Acknowledgments

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 6

New York Town Hall Partners 

■ New York City Mayor’s Office

■ Literacy Assistance Center

■ 144 participants from the public

California Town Hall Partners 

■ California Department of Managed Health Care

■ Health Research for Action, University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health

■ 101 participants from the public

Missouri Town Hall Partners 

■ Missouri Foundation for Health

■ 146 participants from the public

Florida Town Hall Partners 

■ Tampa Bay Community Cancer Network

■ 84 participants from the public

Presenters at Surgeon General’s Workshop on Improving Health Literacy 

■ David W. Baker, M.D., M.P.H.

■ Glenn D. Flores, M.D., F.A.A.P.

■ Vicki S. Freimuth, Ph.D.

■ Judith Hibbard, Dr.P.H.

■ Frank C. Keil, Ph.D.

■ RADM Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H.

■ Linda Neuhauser, Dr.P.H.

■ Denise Park, Ph.D.

■ Michael P. Pignone, M.D., M.P.H.
Appendix C | Acknowledgments

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | 6 7

■ RADM Penelope Slade Royall, P.T., M.S.W.

■ Rima E. Rudd, M.S.P.H., Sc.D.

■ Dean Schillinger, M.D.

■ William A. Smith, Ed.D.

■ Grover J. (Russ) Whitehurst, Ph.D.

■ Christina Zarcadoolas, Ph.D.
May 2010