Oral

Health literacy is an important issue in health care today, especially as patients are taking a greater role in obtaining information about their health. Nearly half of all American adults have difficulty understanding and using health information. While there is a large body of literature concerning health literacy and adults, few studies have focused on adolescents. The purpose of this session is to provide a summary of issues justifying the importance of studying health literacy and to offer suggestions for future research. Policy implications will be discussed as well as the importance of training health professionals to take consumer literacy needs into account.

Session Objectives: At the end of the session, the participant will be able to: (1) Learn about current knowledge concerning health literacy and adolescents; (2) Describe copy and design variables to consider when developing bilingual health education materials; (3) Define health literacy and understand the importance and challenges of health literacy within mental illness/serious psychological distress.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing