Progress in Health Literacy—Encouraging, and Not So Encouraging

Abstract

We have known for years that a substantial percentage of the U.S. population has limited skills in both general literacy (the ability to write, read, and understand written material) (Kirsch, Jungeblut, Jenkins, & Kolstad, 1993) and health literacy (the ability to obtain, understand, and use health information) (Kutner, Greenberg, Jin, & Paulsen, 2006). We also know that clinicians and health systems do not always effectively communicate with patients who have limited health literacy or, for that matter, with patients who have adequate health literacy skills. Two articles in HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice give us a glimpse at how the U.S. health care system is dealing with these health literacy concerns. The results are both encouraging, and not so encouraging.

Keywords

• health literacy
• literacy
• electronic medical record