HealthLiteracy.info and its French sibling, LitteratieEnSante.info, are academic public forums where researchers, practitioners, students and the public can interact and develop together a knowledge base on health literacy.

What is “Health Literacy”?

Several definitions of health literacy exist, with slight differences depending of the academic field.

According to the World Health Organization Glossary, health literacy refers to:

“The cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health. […] Health literacy means more than being able to read pamphlets and successfully make appointments. By improving people’s access to health information and their capacity to use it effectively, health literacy is critical to empowerment” (Nutbeam, 1998).

Our first article can provide you with a more detailed perspective on this concept.

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