The Status of Health Literacy Research in Health Communication and Opportunities for Future Scholarship

ABSTRACT

While national concern is growing, the scholarly body of knowledge in health literacy is still relatively small in health communication literature. The field began to distinguish itself as an outgrowth of adult literacy that focused on patient understanding of health information. It grew out of medicine and public health science mostly, and still today the majority of research can be found in health professional journals. However, the links with health communication, particularly with provider–patient communication and with printed health information, have been established and documented over the last decade. This article is a conceptual review that highlights state-of-the-science literature that has made connections between health literacy and health communication. Evidence reveals the contribution that health literacy can have on the health communication body of knowledge. The article illuminates the gaps in research and possibilities for theory development and future studies.