Health Literacy Month

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1. Introduction

Health Literacy Month is observed each October to raise awareness about the importance of making health information clear, accessible, and actionable for all. (Health.gov)
The aim is not just to improve individuals’ ability to understand information, but also to encourage healthcare organizations, public health systems, and communicators to adopt practices that reduce barriers to comprehension and use. (Health.gov)

This report covers:

• What health literacy is (and why it matters)

• The history and evolution of Health Literacy Month

• Common challenges and inequities

• Strategies and activities for observance

• Recommended resources and further reading

• Suggested metrics and next steps

 

2. What Is Health Literacy? Definitions & Frameworks

2.1 Evolving Definitions

The concept of health literacy has expanded. According to Healthy People 2030 and NIH, health literacy now embraces two complementary dimensions:

• Personal health literacy: the degree to which individuals can find, understand, and use information and services to make health decisions for themselves and others. (Health.gov)

• Organizational health literacy: the degree to which health-related institutions equitably enable people to access, understand, and use information and services. (Health.gov)

This shift underscores that responsibility lies not only with individuals, but also with systems (healthcare providers, public health agencies, insurers, digital content creators) to reduce complexity and support comprehension. (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

2.2 Why It Matters

Health literacy is critical because:

• Misunderstanding instructions, medication regimens, or health recommendations can lead to poor outcomes, wasted resources, and preventable harm. (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

• Low health literacy is associated with higher hospitalization rates, lower preventive care usage, poorer chronic disease outcomes, and higher healthcare costs. (CDC)

• Everyone is vulnerable — even well-educated people can struggle when information is complex, emotionally charged, or delivered under stress. (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

• Clear communication fosters trust, adherence, informed consent, and patient empowerment. (CDC)

 

3. History & Evolution of Health Literacy Month

• Health Literacy Month was first proposed by Helen Osborne, M.Ed., OTR/L in 1999 as a way for health literacy advocates to speak with a shared voice and generate broader awareness. (Health Literacy Solutions Center)

• Over the years, various organizations, coalitions, healthcare institutions, and public health agencies have joined in, using October as a focal point for campaigns, trainings, webinars, toolkits, and community outreach. (Health Literacy Solutions Center)

• In recent years, the emphasis has expanded to include digital health literacy (increasing access and usability of online health tools and websites) and organizational accountability. (Health.gov)

Thus, Health Literacy Month is both an awareness campaign and a call to action for health communicators and systems to do better.

 

4. Challenges & Equity Issues in Health Literacy

4.1 Barriers & Common Pitfalls

• Use of medical jargon, acronyms, technical terms without explanation

• Dense text, unclear visuals, lack of plain-language summaries

• Poorly organized information (lack of headings, confusing layout)

• Numerical or risk communication (percentages, probabilities) without context

• Digital divide: lack of internet access, low digital literacy, poor usability

• Cultural and linguistic mismatch between the communicator and the audience

4.2 Equity and Disparities

• Some groups disproportionately face health literacy challenges: older adults, people with limited formal education, non-native speakers, lower-income populations, marginalized communities

• Health literacy is intertwined with social determinants of health; deficits are not just individual deficits but often systemic

• Organizational health literacy demands that systems remove structural barriers, rather than placing full burden on individuals

Addressing equity means designing materials and systems for varying levels of literacy, cultural backgrounds, languages, and access contexts (paper, mobile, non-internet) — not assuming a “one size fits all” model.

 

5. Strategies & Activities for Observance

To turn awareness into action during Health Literacy Month (and beyond), here are recommended strategies and sample activities:

5.1 Overarching Strategies

• Adopt plain-language and “universal precautions” approaches (assume people may have challenges with complex health information).

• Test materials with target audiences (focus groups, user testing, readability/understandability tools).

• Train staff (clinicians, front-desk, community health workers) in clear communication strategies (teach-back, asking open questions, labels).

• Promote multi-modal information delivery (text + visuals + audio/video).

• Leverage digital design best practices (scannable layout, clear navigation, mobile responsiveness) — see Health Literacy Online. (Health.gov)

• Use “Health Literacy Heroes” or recognition programs — highlight individuals or teams doing exemplary work. (Health Literacy Solutions Center)

5.2 Sample Activities (13 ideas adapted from various sources) (CASAT OnDemand)

1. Staff training/workshops on plain language, readability, and communication techniques

2. “Clear communication audit” of patient handouts, consent forms, signage — revise based on feedback

3. Host webinars or brown-bag sessions on health literacy principles

4. Launch a social media campaign using hashtags like #HealthLiteracyMonth

5. Organize pop-up booths or information tables in clinics, community centers, libraries

6. Create and distribute easy-to-read toolkits, flyers, infographics

7. Run poster contests, coloring contests, or “translate it simply” challenges (for students or community)

8. Invite community members to co-create materials or critique drafts

9. Recognize “Health Literacy Heroes” — individuals or teams who improved communication practices

10. Partner with local literacy or adult education organizations

11. Incorporate health literacy into school curricula (e.g., in health classes)

12. Share “before vs. after” examples of improved materials

13. Promote “Ask Me 3” or similar models (patients ask three questions: What is my problem? What do I need to do? Why is it important?)

From UAMS’s list: “5 Ways to Celebrate Health Literacy Month” offers a manageable starting point. (Center for Health Literacy)

5.3 Implementation Tips

• Begin planning ahead (some deliverables need design, review, printing)

• Tailor activities to your audience (clinic patients, community, schools, staff)

• Use partnerships (libraries, literacy groups, community orgs)

• Track participation and feedback

• Archive your materials (for reuse or expansion)

 

6. Resources & Further Reading

Below is a curated list of high-quality resources you can share or build from:

Official / National Resources

Resource

Description / Why Useful

Health.gov — Health Literacy & Health Literacy Online

Guidance for developing usable health websites/tools, with people-first design principles (Health.gov)

CDC — Health Literacy

Tools, research, training, communication guidelines (CDC)

HHS / ODPHP — Health Literacy Resources

Bundled list of evidence-based tools and organizations (Health.gov)

AHRQ — Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit

Helps providers adopt universal precautions in communication (i.e. avoid assuming patient comprehension) (NYU HSL Guides)

NNLM (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)

Resources for libraries and community health literacy efforts (literacy.ala.org)

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy

Roadmap for multi-sector health literacy improvement (goals, strategies) (Health.gov)

Simply Put: A Guide for Creating Easy-to-Understand Materials

Practical tips for writing materials for low-literacy audiences (CDC)

Academic / Professional Resources

• NYU Health Sciences Library: Toolkits & Guides for patient education & health literacy (NYU HSL Guides)

• U Maryland HSHSL: Health Literacy Guides & connections to projects like Project SHARE (guides.hshsl.umaryland.edu)

• SOPHE (Society for Public Health Education) — Health Literacy focus area (SOPHE)

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Communication and health literacy in speech-language contexts (ASHA)

• American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing: curated health literacy web resources (aaacn.org)

Additional via Campaigns & Coalitions

• Health Literacy Advocacy / Solutions Center — event listings, blogs, networks (hladvocacy.healthliteracymonth.org)

• National Health Council — curated health literacy resource directory (National Health Council)

• InfoLit (UK) — global perspective on Health Literacy Month (infolit.org.uk)

 

7. Metrics, Evaluation & Sustainability

To know whether efforts are working, consider measuring:

• Number of staff trained / workshops held

• Number of revised materials (before/after)

• Patient feedback (surveys, comprehension checks)

• Use of “teach-back” or “Ask Me 3” techniques in practice

• Web analytics (if digital tools changed) — bounce rates, time on page, usability

• Qualitative feedback (focus groups, interviews)

• Downstream health indicators (e.g. adherence, appointment follow-through, readmissions) — though attribution is harder

For sustainability:

• Embed health literacy practices into routine operations (not just during October)

• Establish a cross-departmental health literacy committee

• Maintain and update plain-language templates

• Provide ongoing training and refresher sessions

• Publish an annual “Health Literacy Month Impact Report”

 

8. Proposed Structure for a Local Health Literacy Month Campaign

Here’s a sample timeline and structure (for a hospital, public health agency, or community organization):

Phase

Activities

Preparation (July–August)

Plan theme, set goals, allocate budget, design templates, coordinate partners

Pre-launch (September)

Staff orientation, teaser social media, outreach to partners

Launch (October 1)

Press release, kickoff event, social media campaign begins

Ongoing (October)

Workshops, pop-up booths, contests, recognition, community outreach

Mid-month check

Monitor metrics, mid-course adjustments

Closing (Oct 31 / early Nov)

Wrap-up event, distribute summary, solicit feedback

Post-campaign (November onward)

Analysis of metrics, lessons learned, plans to sustain efforts year-round

You can tailor the scale and intensity to your resources and audience.

 

9. Challenges & Tips to Overcome Them

• Limited resources/staff time → Start small (e.g. one training + one flyer) and expand

• Resistance to change → Use data and storytelling to demonstrate impact

• Coordination across departments → Form a steering committee with representatives

• Ensuring accessibility (language, disability, digital access) → Translate materials, use alt text, provide print + digital + audio formats

• Sustaining momentum beyond October → Integrate health literacy into policy, hire champions, periodic refreshers

 

10. Conclusion

Health Literacy Month offers a vital opportunity to:

• Elevate awareness of how critical clear communication is to health outcomes

• Mobilize and coordinate efforts across sectors (healthcare, public health, education, community orgs)

• Stimulate tangible improvements in how we design, present, and deliver health information

By combining awareness campaigns with systemic change (in organizations, digital tools, staff practices), we can foster an environment where health information is understandable, usable, and empowering for all.

 

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