Did you know?

Low reading skill and poor health are related.

Low literacy is common in the United States; in 2003 more than 14% adults scored in the lowest of five levels (level 1) on the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS); another 14% scored at level 2. These levels correspond to having trouble finding pieces of information or numbers in a lengthy text, integrating multiple pieces of information in a document, or finding two or more numbers in a chart and performing a calculation. Meeting the requirements of an ever-increasing percentage of jobs and the many demands of day-to-day life requires skill above these NALS levels.

A 2004 study sponsored by the United States Department of Health and Human Services found that low literacy impairs functioning in the health care environment, affects patient-physician communication, and inadvertently leads to substandard medical care. It is associated with poor understanding of written or spoken medical advice, adverse health outcomes, and negative effects on the health of the population.

Compare state and county estimates adult literacy at the NALS site. Read the full Literacy and Health Outcomes report at the National Library of Medicine web site.