October is Health Literacy Month! Build Health Literacy Through Action
Help put health literacy awareness into action during Health Literacy Month. This month of international observance highlights the work of integrating and expanding the mission of health literacy toward health equity, so everyone has access to high-quality care to achieve positive health outcomes.
Get Involved in Health Literacy Month
Take the Health Literacy Pledge
What action will you take this year to advance health literacy? Make your commitment and join others across the health literacy community who are putting health literacy into action.
Share Your Health Literacy Month Event
Planning something for October? Share your webinar, training, resource launch, outreach campaign, or other Health Literacy Month activity and help others discover ways to get involved.
Share Your Health Literacy “Aha!” Moment
Was there a moment when the importance of health literacy really clicked for you? Share a short video about your experience and how it influenced your work, studies, or approach to health communication.
Create a More Equitable World
Health literacy plays an important role in creating more equitable health experiences.
When information and services are clear, accessible, and responsive to people’s needs, we can reduce barriers and help people make informed decisions about their health.
Health Literacy Month is an opportunity for all of us to consider what we can do, individually and within our organizations, to make health information easier to understand and act on.
Share These Resources
Use these resources during Health Literacy Month to start conversations, support learning, and raise awareness in your organization or community.
Explore the Toolkit!
Personal Health Literacy
This short animated IHA video explains how to improve personal health literacy.
Communicate Better with Patients
This IHA video explains how and why to communicate better with patients or clients.
Your Aha! Moment
Often there is an “Aha!” moment when someone realizes the impact or importance of health literacy. Here are some stories we collected.
Fun GIFs
Share these animated graphics on social media to raise awareness of Health Literacy Month!
What is Health Literacy?
Health literacy is defined in two ways:
- Personal health literacy is how well a person can find, understand, and use information and services to make decisions about their own health and the health of others.
- Organizational health literacy is how well organizations equitably help all people find, understand, and use information and services to make decisions about their own health and others.
Health literacy affects how people access information, navigate services, communicate about health, and make decisions. It has applications across practice, policy, research, education, public health, healthcare, and many other settings.
Click here to learn more about health literacy.
Founded by Helen Osborne
Health Literacy Month was created by Helen Osborne, M.Ed., OTR/L, a nationally recognized health literacy expert, author, and educator. IHA is honored to continue this tradition and expand its impact while maintaining recognition of Helen’s foundational leadership and vision.
Learn More About Helen Osborne