A Policy Challenge for Advancing High-Quality Health Care : Creating a Health-Literate America May Not Be Easy, but It Is the Right Goal for Health Policy
ResearchPosted on rand.org 2003Published in: Health Affairs, v. 22, no. 4, July/Aug. 2003, p. 147-153
Health literacy, at the intersection of health and education, involves more than reading ability. Studies of health literacy abilities show that many Americans with the greatest health care needs have the least ability to comprehend information required to navigate and function in the U.S. health care system. This paper defines health literacy as an important policy issue and offers strategies for creating a health-literate America.
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