Everyone seems to have a personal story that illustrates the problems and realities of low health literacy: a grandmother who didn't take her medications properly because she couldn't read the prescription label; a colleague who doesn't fill a prescription because he's not sure what it's really for; a friend who can't seem to follow the doctor's instructions consistently to manage a condition.
Health literacy can affect anyone, regardless of age, education or income level. Nearly 90 million United States adults have trouble understanding health information. Low health literacy can cause shame and embarrassment for those experiencing it. No one likes to admit they have problems reading or understanding information, so most people keep their problem hidden. No wonder that low health literacy has been called a silent epidemic.
By reporting on low health literacy, the news media can help de-stigmatize the issue and point people in the direction of easy-to-implement and low- or no-cost solutions to better communication and understanding. In addition to the press materials available in this section, reporters interested in speaking with patients, health care providers or health literacy experts can send an email request to contactus@clearhealthcommunication.org.
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