Health literacy interventions
Last Revised: December 5, 2025
- Issue Areas
- Health and well-being
Program overview
Explaining basic health information: Health literacy interventions are a strategy to increase individuals' ability to obtain, understand, and act on basic health information. They take a variety of forms and are associated with increased health-related knowledge and adherence to health treatment plans.
Offering clear, accessible educational materials: Health literacy interventions are commonly written materials that use simple language. Materials should be translated based on community need. These may be distributed at community centers, healthcare provider offices, and other locations frequented by target populations. The information may also be provided online.
Providing in-person learning opportunities: Health literacy programs which take place in-person may include community or provider based group education programming. In-person education about health conditions and information may be preferred to online or print materials as it allows individuals to ask questions and encourages an ongoing dialogue surrounding health.
Multiple studies with rigorous designs provide some evidence for health literacy interventions as a strategy to increase health-related knowledge and patient adherence to recommended treatment.
- This assessment is based on evidence from a 2019 research synthesis.
Training health care providers to identify need: One issue in promoting health literacy is that frequently health care providers are not able to identify how health literate a patient is. As such, medical educators should train students and residents on how to assess a patients’ literacy level. Medical centers which prioritize patient-provider communication should train newly hired providers on how best to communicate with patients and ensure that their questions are answered or they are referred to relevant resources within time limited visits.
Promote health literacy at a young age: Efforts to ensure individuals prioritize and understand their health should start early. As such, the CDC recommends that accurate, developmentally appropriate health and science information is incorporated into the educational curriculum for pre-school through university level. Developing children’s health literacy skills at a young age will translate into better informed adults.
Tailor information for specific groups: Interventions should be adapted so they are accessible to minority populations, those with lower education, non-English speaking populations, and those with limited technology access. As such, providers should offer multiple types of interventions to cover all populations frequently treated. For example, all resources should not be exclusively available on the internet or in English.