Health Literacy 

Nearly half of all American adults have some trouble understanding health information and following instructions from their doctor. That means some 90-million - or one-in-three - adults in the U.S. are at greater risk of ending up in an emergency room or admitted to the hospital when dealing with a health concern. This is especially true for cancer patients.

But limited health literacy isn't just a problem for people who have trouble reading or who speak English as a second language. While it is true that people who are older, less educated, or poor are more likely to have problems, even well educated people can have trouble comprehending  the instructions and forms related to a health condition or medical procedure they face. They might not be able to

• find doctors and other service providers,  
• understand their illness,
• fill out forms,
• share their medical history,
• seek preventive care,
• understand the connections between risky behavior and health risks,  and
• understand directions on medications such as not to take the drug on an empty stomach 

Sometimes, health professionals don't even realize that they're using unfamiliar terms or asking patients to complete tasks that are daunting.