Health Literacy and Pediatric Health

Abstract

The chapters and reports in this book explore a wide variety of topics related to how health literacy can impact clinical practice and public health. While health literacy is relevant to healthcare issues across populations, it has unique implications in the field of pediatrics, where parents and other caregivers are responsible for managing their child's healthcare. Younger children have varying roles and involvement; over time, as children reach adolescence, they have an increasing understanding of and participation in their healthcare. This chapter will review the epidemiology of health literacy in parents, adolescents, and children, and how this compares to the general adult population. It will highlight unique considerations regarding health literacy and pediatric health. The chapter will then focus on the impact of health literacy and relevant health literacy-informed interventions on pediatric health. Finally, the chapter will discuss gaps in the literature and future directions.

Keywords: Health literacy; pediatrics.