Low health literacy is costing health

Overview

This document highlights health literacy as a critical determinant of health and a foundation for empowering individuals to make informed choices amid growing volumes of information and misinformation. It underscores that improving health literacy goes beyond communication or education and requires strengthening the skills, systems, and environments that enable people to access, understand, and use health information effectively. Low health literacy contributes to poorer health outcomes and increased costs, while investment in health literacy may deliver stronger social and economic benefits. The document calls for sustained action to embed health literacy within national strategies and public health systems.