Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

Report shows low health-literacy rates across the country

Sept. 19, 2007 Ottawa—A new report commissioned by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) provides Canadians with a country-wide snapshot of how we are faring as a country in terms of health literacy.

The report, Health Literacy in Canada: Initial Results from the International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey, maps out the distribution of the estimated 60% of adult Canadians who are believed to possess low health-literacy rates.

The Canadian map (PDF, 6 MB) offers policy-makers and health-care professionals the first in-depth overview of low health-literacy rates across more than 4,800 communities throughout the country.     

Health literacy refers to individuals’ ability to access and interpret information relating to their own health, and the capacity to make well-informed decisions about their basic health. This can include the ability to read and act upon written health information (such as the appropriate use of prescription medications), the proper skills to communicate their health needs to physicians, or sufficient listening skills to understand the instructions they receive.

“Over the past 20 years, research has shown a strong link between literacy, education levels and relative health,” said Dr. Paul Cappon, president and CEO of the Canadian Council on Learning. “The evidence shows a clear relationship between formal education levels  and health status. This report provides useful background on how health literacy is measured, and will support efforts in areas such as health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and navigating the health-care system.”
 
The map provides researchers and policy-makers with a snapshot of low health-literacy rates in thousands of communities, representing 95% of the Canadian population. The map, which is based on a new analysis of data reported in CCL’s first annual State of Learning in Canada report, will be a useful tool to policy-makers and health-care professionals.

“Due to our aging population and growing pressures on our health-care system, there is an urgent need to address the level of health literacy across our country,” said Dr. Cappon.

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The Canadian Council on Learning is an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded through an agreement with Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Its mandate is to promote and support evidence-based decisions about learning throughout all stages of life, from early childhood through to the senior years.

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