This includes understanding, interpreting, and applying written material to accomplish daily tasks.
Health literacy is the ability to read, understand, and act on health care information.
This means that 90 million Americans have difficulty functioning in society on a daily basis. The health care system is large aspect of this society, and one that is becoming increasingly complex. Thus, the population most in need of health care is least able to read and understand information needed to function as a patient. The primary source of the higher expenditures was due to longer hospital stays. A First Look at the Findings of the National Adult Literacy Survey.