Myths About Health Literacy, Checked Against the Guidance
Health Literacy: what people commonly get wrong, set against what published UK guidance says.
Lower health literacy is associated with worse outcomes, and most health information is written well above the reading level of the population it is for.
Key takeaways
- The three questions: What are my options? What are the benefits and risks? How do I decide?
- Shared decision making: recommended by NICE
- Most useful single change: Ask the three questions at any appointment involving a choice.
- Commonest mistake: Saying you understand when you do not.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What the guidance actually says
Before the corrections, the published figures. Everything below is measured against these.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| The three questions | What are my options? What are the benefits and risks? How do I decide? |
| Shared decision making | recommended by NICE |
| Teach-back | repeating information back to check understanding |
| Available on request | interpreters, chaperones, and information in other formats |
Where people go wrong
These are widely believed and not supported by the guidance above.
- Saying you understand when you do not
- Relying on search results without checking the source
- Leaving without knowing what happens next
What to do instead
- Ask the three questions at any appointment involving a choice
- Repeat back what you understood to check it is right
- Ask for information in writing or in another format
- Bring someone with you if that helps you take things in
The part that is genuinely uncertain
Guidance changes, and it changes because evidence does. The figures above reflect current UK guidance from the bodies named at the foot of this page; where those bodies revise their position, theirs is the account to follow rather than this one.
Where to go next
- Health Literacy at a Glance
- The Evidence on Health Literacy, Without the Hype
- Health Literacy — the reference entry
- The Evidence on Occupational Health, Without the Hype
- NHS Health Check: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to speak to a doctor
Always confirm before leaving an appointment: what happens next, when results will come and how, what symptoms should bring you back sooner, and who to contact if things worsen. If symptoms worsen while waiting, contact the service again rather than waiting.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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