# Health Literacy Month awareness

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/health-literacy-month-awareness
> Updated: 2026-10-24T01:23:31.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

October is designated as Health Literacy Month, focusing on the ability of individuals and organizations to access and utilize health-related information. The initiative emphasizes that health literacy is a social determinant of health that impacts overall well-being.

Discussions have highlighted a significant gap in proficiency, noting that a U.S. Department of Education study found only 12% of U.S. adults possessed proficient health literacy. Challenges include difficulties with basic tasks like reading prescription labels, which can lead to increased healthcare costs and a reliance on emergency services. To address these barriers, experts advocate for organizational health literacy and the use of plain language to make medical communication more actionable and accessible.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-24: Health Literacy Month highlights challenges in medical communication

October is Health Literacy Month, highlighting that many adults struggle with basic medical tasks and emphasizing the need for plain-language health communication.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/health-literacy-month-highlights-challenges-in-medical-communication

### 2026-10-01: Health Literacy Month emphasizes personal and organizational wellness

October is Health Literacy Month, highlighting the importance of both personal and organizational health literacy in improving health outcomes and decision-making.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/health-literacy-month-emphasizes-personal-and-organizational-wellness

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Cite as: Health Literacy Month awareness. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/health-literacy-month-awareness