Advancing Health Literacy: A Framework for Understanding and Action

Advancing Health Literacy addresses the crisis in health literacy in the United States and around the world. This book thoroughly examines the critical role of literacy in public health and outlines a practical, effective model that bridges the gaps between health education, health promotion, and health communication. Step by step, the authors outline the theory and practice of health literacy from a public health perspective. This book covers the history of health literacy, theoretical foundations of health and language literacy, the role of the media, and a series of case studies on important topics including prenatal care, anthrax, HIV/AIDS, genomics, and diabetes. The book also includes practical guidelines for the development and assessment of health communications materials.