Health Literacy in  Organizations

Organizational Resources


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Ohio Health Literacy Partners

What is the result of Low Health Literacy?

Low health literacy can result in:  

  • Mistakes in taking medicine.    
  • Doctor’s orders not being followed because they are not understood.     
  • Emergency Room used when it’s not needed.      
  • Steps not taken to keep from getting sick.       
  • Poor self-care for long term illnesses.      
  • Longer hospital stays and going back to the hospital more often. 
  • Poor response to public health emergencies.·       
  • Higher death rate.     
  • Large amounts of money ($106-$238 billion) lost every year on health care costs.​

                            (Vernon, J., 2oo7). Low Health Literacy: Implications for National Health Policy.

Organizations should focus on health literacy and make it easier for people to find, understand, and  use health information to make healthcare decisions.

Some of these organizations are:  hospitals, clinics, community health centers, health departments, dentists, health insurance companies, and others.