Education + Resources

Healthy People 2030, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, defines health literacy as a overarching priority area having both personal and organizational degrees:

• Personal health literacy. The degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.
• Organizational health literacy. The degree to which organizations equitably enable individuals to find, understand and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.

• AHRQ Health Literacy: This website includes tools, education and training, guiding frameworks and publications to help healthcare organizations improve health literacy.
• CDC Health Literacy: This website provides information and tools to improve health literacy and public health for organizations that communicate with people about health.
• Health Literacy in Clinical Research:  This website will help you integrate health literacy principles and plain language practices into the life cycle of any study from recruitment to informed consent to communicating results, includes a glossary of terms.
• Healthy People 2030: Learn about personal and organizational health literacy as an overarching goal for improving the health and well-being of the nation.
• Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication: Use this guide to adapt your health communication to the culture, language and history of your intended audience.
• Teaching Skills That Matter in Adult Education: Use these materials to teach the skills that matter to adult learners using approaches that work across critical topic areas including health literacy.
• Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit: This 3rd Edition of the toolkit can help primary care practices reduce complexity, increase understanding and support patients at all health literacy levels.

• CDC Health Literacy Trainings for Public Health Professionals. Online self-study trainings for health professionals working to improve public health. Trainings are on the CDC Train Learning Network platform. Supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continuing education credits offered. Cost: Free
• Health Literacy Distance Education. Online modules are designed for health professionals. Each module is self-paced, and covers a different health literacy topic. Developed and offered by Ohio State University College of Medicine. Continuing medical education credits and certificate of completion offered. Cost: $30 per module.
• Health Literacy Specialist Certificate Program. Designed for health professionals looking to gain specialized training in health literacy.  An assessment-based certificate program. Offers 50 lessons across 7 domains. Fully online. Developed and offered by the Institute for Healthcare Advancement. Certificate, digital badge, and continue education credits offered. Cost: $2,000 ($699 with code WBAL424)
• ThinkCultureHealth Education Programs for Health Professionals. Online self-study training courses designed for physicians, physician assistance, and nurse practitioners in a variety of specialties. Trainings address the need for health systems to address health disparities and provide culturally and linguistically competent care.  Supported by the Office of Minority Health, US Department of Health and Human Services Continuing education credits offered. Cost: Free
   

Health Literacy Annual Research Conference (HARC)

When: October 2025
Where: Virtual
Details: TBA

National Academy of Health and Physical Literacy (NAHPL)
2025 National Summit

When: March 3-6, 2025
Where: Newport, MA USA
Details: Registration now open

Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA)
24th Annual Health Literacy Conference

When: May 13-15, 2025
Where: Virtual
Details: Registration now open

11th Asian Health Literacy Association International Conference

When: November 23-25, 2025
Where: Taichung, Taiwan
Details: Abstract submission open

Evidence & Health Literacy

When: June 5-6, 2025 
Where: Berlin (Robert Bosch Foundation)
Details: Register here