Introduction to the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy

Background: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on health literacy and the Surgeon General’s Workshop to Improve Health Literacy concluded that limited health literacy is a major public health issue. Data from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) demonstrate that 9 of 10 English-speaking adults do not have proficient health literacy skills. Health literacy improvement is a Healthy People 2010 and 2020 national health objective. A comprehensive plan is an essential component of a national strategy to address the problem of limited health literacy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will release the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy in May 2010.

Program background: The IOM report included some recommendations based on the field’s understanding of limited health literacy as of 2004. The national action plan is an updated and comprehensive assessment of all social sectors and the strategies they should pursue to contribute to health literacy improvement.  The plan is the product of several years of work by the HHS Health Literacy Workgroup and dozens of organizations and individuals who have participated in the drafting of the plan. The origin of the plan is the Surgeon General’s Workshop to Improve Health Literacy and its review of the scientific basis for limited health literacy. The plan aims to inform and direct actions that will help achieve the Healthy People objective to improve health literacy for the population. The plan includes seven goals and multiple strategies that organizations and individuals can use to address limited health literacy. The plan can be customized to fit any organization’s mission and goals.

Evaluation Methods and Results: The national plan is based on published research in health literacy, health communication and related disciplines. Participants in the Surgeon General’s Workshop evaluated the research literature as of 2006. Research findings published since then have been included in the plan. The plan includes the highest priority strategies and actions from the literature and expert opinion. Once the plan is released, the HHS Health Literacy Workgroup will conduct a periodic review of the distribution and effectiveness of the plan to guide research, evaluation and interventions.

Conclusions: The release of a national plan for health literacy is a major milestone in the development of the field. The plan is an appropriate tool for any individual or organization looking for research-based ideas of how to contribute to health literacy improvement. The national action plan unites the fields of healthcare services, public health, education and communication in a strategic approach to health literacy.

Implications for research and/or practice: The plan includes strategies for researchers and practitioners. Researchers can use the plan as a source of topics for projects, including ideas for novel methods and population groups to include in their research. Practitioners will find a wide range of ideas for interventions that can be scaled up or transferred to different settings and population groups. The strategies are short and long term, making the plan useful for many years as a guide to action.