National Adult Literacy Database

This presentation offers both an overview of the concept of health literacy and an analysis of how Canadians are faring in this area. It was prepared by the Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC), a non-profit English-language organization serving the Eastern Townships region of Quebec.

The authors describe health literacy as the skills required to enable someone to access, understand, and use information for health-related purposes. It requires the use of more than one literacy skill, often simultaneously.

Statistics suggest that as many as 60 percent of Canadians may not have the skills needed to manage their health effectively.

The authors discuss ways the YLC can help improve health literacy both through its one-to-one literacy tutoring service and through the development of plain-language tools.