Promoting health literacy in OT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS; 2020) emphasizes health equity in its Healthy People 2030’s objectives. Health equity is defined as reaching the highest level of health for every person. To reach health equity, all people need to be valued in the same way, with ongoing efforts made by society to address any avoidable inequalities including both historical and present injustices and elimination of health and health care disparities (DHS, 2020). One potential source of disparities lies within the area of health literacy. The purpose of this article is to understand health literacy and why it is important, and to identify what occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) can do to increase patient understanding for improved health outcomes.