Healthy People 2030 Health Literacy Definition Tells Organizations: Make Information and Services Easy to Find, Understand, and Use

Excerpt

This summer, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released Healthy People 2030, the fifth iteration of the nation’s 10-year plan to improve the health of all Americans. For the first time, Healthy People features health literacy as part of its framework. Specifically, attaining health literacy for all is one of Healthy People 2030’s five overarching goals. Further, Healthy People 2030 has released an expanded definition of health literacy. Healthy People previously identified health literacy solely in terms of individuals’ capacities to understand health information. Now Healthy People’s definition includes a new organizational component that recognizes the essential role organizations that provide health-related information and services play in improving health literacy. Physicians, as both clinicians and organizational leaders, have key roles to play in helping their organizations become health literate.¹ …