Health Literacy Month

Observed During: October, 2027

2027 observance: October 1–31, 2027.

Date rule: October 1–31 each year (fixed dates).

Verification source: HHS ODPHP.

Health Literacy Month: Understanding Your Health, One Question at a Time

Every October, Health Literacy Month highlights the importance of making health information easier to understand and use. From reading a prescription label to choosing a health insurance plan, understanding health information helps us take an active role in our care.

Yet medical terms, complicated forms, and unfamiliar instructions can leave anyone feeling overwhelmed. This observance encourages people to ask questions—and encourages healthcare providers and organizations to communicate clearly.

What Is Health Literacy?

Health literacy is the ability to find, understand, and use health information and services to make informed decisions for yourself and others. It also includes the responsibility of organizations to make that information accessible and understandable.

In everyday life, health literacy can mean understanding when to take a medication, knowing how to schedule a screening, or recognizing what your healthcare provider wants you to do after an appointment.

You do not need to know every medical term. You need information that makes sense to you and a clear understanding of your next steps.

Make Questions Part of Your Care

An appointment can involve a lot of information in a short amount of time. Preparing a few questions beforehand can help you focus on what matters most.

Consider asking:

What does this diagnosis or test result mean?
What are my treatment options?
What are the benefits and possible risks?
How should I take this medication?
What symptoms should prompt me to call you?
What should I do next, and when?

If an explanation is unclear, try saying, “Could you explain that in simpler words?” Asking for clarification is a useful part of caring for your health.

Check Your Understanding

Before leaving an appointment, explain the instructions back in your own words. For example: “Let me make sure I understand. I will take this medicine with breakfast and call your office if I have these symptoms.”

This approach, called teach-back, helps identify misunderstandings and gives the healthcare professional a chance to explain things more clearly. It checks how well the information was communicated.

You can also request written instructions, take notes, or bring a trusted person to help you remember the discussion.

Build Confidence With Health Information

Small habits can make health information easier to manage:

Keep an updated list of your medications, supplements, and allergies.
Ask your pharmacist about instructions you do not understand.
Request an interpreter or information in an accessible format when needed.
Review your health plan’s coverage and ask for help understanding costs.
Discuss online health claims with a qualified healthcare professional before acting on them.

Support Health Literacy at Work

Employers can use Health Literacy Month to help employees understand their benefits and connect with health resources. Consider offering a benefits question-and-answer session, sharing plain-language wellness materials, or inviting healthcare professionals to explain screenings and preventive services at an employee health fair.

Clear communication should be a shared commitment. Health organizations have an essential role in helping people find, understand, and use the information they need.

This October, start with one question you have been meaning to ask. Understanding your health begins with a conversation—and everyone deserves answers they can understand.

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