Improving patient safety and quality
Improving health literacy rates can lead to positive lifestyle and health behaviours, which enable individuals to build resilience and improve the self-management of their health conditions (Public Health England, 2015).
On the contrary, poor communication between healthcare professionals and patients (and carers) is a ‘significant contributor’ to patient safety concerns’ (Howick et al, 2024). Research has identified the following impacts on patient outcomes and use of healthcare services as a result of low levels of health literacy (Berkman et al, 2011; Public Health England, 2015) – which point to worrying concerns over the quality of care provided and outcomes for patients with low levels of health literacy.
- Between 1.5 and three times more likely to experience increased hospitalisation or death.
- Increased risk of developing multiple health problems (co-morbidities).
- Less likely to engage with preventative services (e.g. screening and vaccinations).
- More frequent use of urgent and emergency care services.
- Longer in-patient stays.
- Health needs are more likely to be hidden, as a result of being less engaged in active discussions about their health.
- Poorer ability to take medications in the appropriate way.
- Individuals are more likely to have depression.
Findings from maternity services demonstrate that there are significant safety concerns, and higher rates of perinatal deaths, for migrant women with a preferred language other than English – leading to recommendations for health information about maternity services to be available in a variety of formats, settings and languages (MBRRACE-UK, 2024).
There is also evidence that individuals with lower rates of health literacy are more likely to have more than one health condition (Pelikan et al, 2012; Wieczorek et al, 2023). Research from the Patient Safety Commissioner has found that individuals with visual, hearing and/or sensory impairments face multiple barriers in accessing information about the self-management of other conditions they may have, such as diabetes, which can prevent them from managing their condition safely and has led to patient distress (Patient Safety Commissioner, 2025).
By improving communication through health literacy interventions, patients better understand information and are empowered to make informed decisions about their healthcare, which in turn supports patient safety (NHSE and Health Literacy Matters, 2024).