For example, many babies born into poor families have low birth weight, which increases their risk of developing health and learning problems. Literacy affects people's access to decent jobs and thus to adequate incomes.
Poverty affects people's health as well as their ability to access and use literacy services.
Literacy workers report that many students are hindered in their learning by health and other problems directly related to living in poverty. Workers with lower literacy skills have a higher than average rate of workplace injury . This is in part because the unskilled jobs open to them tend to be more dangerous. Because health and safety information is often not accessible to them, they may not be aware of the dangers. As well, they may not be in a position to assert their health and safety rights as workers.