,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #dgj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,june #bg1 #bjai ,mr4 
,lev9 ( ,cali=nia 7= himself1 ,mr4      
,gian=te1 ,mr4 ,r\da1 & ,mr4 ,cox (     
,cali=nia7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2
 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy 
& ,comm]ce  ,,resolution  ,express+     
support = ! designation ( ,octob] #a1   
#bjai1 z ,national ,heal? ,lit]acy ,day 
to recognize ! value ( heal? lit]acy 9  
trans=m+ & improv+ heal? & heal?c>e =   
all p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  ,:]eas heal?  
lit]acy is ! degree to :i* individuals h
 ! capacity to obta91 process1 & und]/& 
basic heal? in=mation & s]vices ne$$ to 
make appropriate heal? decisions2       
,:]eas1 bas$ on a national assessm5t1 a 
majority ( adults h int]m$iate heal?    
lit]acy1 :ile m ?an #ge million adults  
_h basic or bel[ basic heal? lit]acy2   
,:]eas m5tal heal? lit]acy is def9$ z k 
& beliefs ab\t m5tal disord]s t aid 9 _!
 recognition1 managem5t1 or prev5tion2  
,:]eas good m5tal heal? lit]acy may lead

 to bett] outcomes = ^? ) m5tal         
disord]s1 p>ticul>ly ^? ) suicidal      
ideation1 ei!r by facilitat+ e>ly       
help-seek+ or by help+ o!rs id5tify e>ly
 signs ( m5tal disord]s & seek help on  
behalf ( ano!r2 ,:]eas language         
diff]5ces1 cultural b>ri]s1 & l[ heal?  
lit]acy h be5 describ$ z a triple ?reat 
to effective heal? communication betwe5 
provid]s & pati5ts t c\ld h>m ! deliv]y 
( quality c>e = communities ( color2    
,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,ag5cy = ,heal?c>e 
,rese>* & ,quality1 l[ heal? lit]acy is 
consi/5tly associat$ ) increas$         
hospitalizations1 great] em]g5cy c>e    
use1 l[] use ( mammography1 l[] receipt 
( influ5za vacc9e1 poor] ability to     
demon/rate tak+ m$ications              
appropriately1 poor] ability to int]pret
 labels & heal? messages1 &1 among      
s5iors1 poor] ov]all heal? /atus & high]
 mortality2 ,:]eas exp]ts e/imate t !   
co/ ( l[ heal? lit]acy to ! ,unit$      
,/ates economy is betwe5 #ajf billion to
 #bch billion annually2 ,:]eas1 :5 heal?

 lit]acy is measur$1 x has be5 %[n t--  
7#a7 individuals ) l[ heal? lit]acy     
scores _h high] rates ( diabetes1       
obesity1 & high blood pressure2  7#b7   
,/ates ) high heal? lit]acy h l[] rates 
( diabetes1 obesity1 & high blood       
pressure & h l[] co/s ( prescription    
drugs pur*as$ "u ! ,m$ic>e program "u   
title ,,xviii ( ! ,social ,security ,act
 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq47 ?an      
,/ates ) l[ heal? lit]acy2 &  7#c7 !re  
is a /rong correlation betwe5 heal?     
lit]acy & heal?c>e co/s1 :i* are a s]i\s
 *all5ge = individuals1 families1 &     
society z a :ole2 ,:]eas measur+ heal?  
lit]acy is an objective process t       
produces results t c be sci5tifically   
obta9$1 measur$1 report$1 assess$1      
improv$1 & rew>d$2 ,:]eas1 :ile su*     
measurem5t has already begun ?r\gh      
data-driv5 means1 su* measurem5t has n  
be5 sy/ematically us$ to assess         
individual heal? lit]acy & improve !    
heal? sy/em ?r\gh\t ! ,unit$ ,/ates2    
,:]eas heal? lit]acy holds great promise

 to trans=m ! heal? consci\sness ( p 9 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates & ar\nd ! _w1 & is       
ess5tial = improv+ ! effectiv5ess &     
effici5cy ( ! heal?c>e sy/em 9 prev5t+  
diseases & illness1 improv+ wellness &  
longevity1 improv+ pati5t c>e &         
outcomes1 & r$uc+ heal?c>e co/s2 ,:]eas 
heal? lit]acy emp[]s individuals to     
bett] engage 9 _! heal? & ) tra9$ heal? 
pr(essionals & c>egiv]s because !y are  
bett] educat$ ab\t _! bodies & h[ !y "w2
 ,:]eas p h ! "r to heal? in=mation t   
helps !m make in=m$ decisions1 & heal?  
education & s]vices %\ld be deliv]$ 9   
ways t are easy to und]/& & t improve   
heal?1 longevity1 & quality ( life2     
,:]eas k ( heal? & improvem5ts 9 heal?  
lit]acy c enc\rage individuals to take  
action on _! heal? t c improve _! heal? 
/atus & l[] _! co/s despite _! heal?    
/atus2 ,:]eas1 despite ! brea?tak+      
advances 9 read+ lit]acy ov] ! la/      
c5tury t h l$ to impressive economic1   
societal1 & cultural advances1 !re is   
little sy/ematic ef=t 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 

to improve heal? lit]acy g5]ally1 ?r\gh 
public programs specifically & )        
individuals p>ticul>ly2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjaj1
 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices 
produc$ a ,national ,action ,plan to    
,improve ,heal? ,lit]acy t lays out sev5
 goals1 includ+ rese>* & int]v5tions to 
improve heal? lit]acy1 b t action plan  
does n directly enc\rage pati5ts to     
become m heal? lit]ate or kn[l$geable1  
has n be5 updat$1 & ! recomm5dations    
conta9$ 9 su* action plan h n be5       
implem5t$ or review$2 ,:]eas x is       
necess>y to cont9ue activities t are    
f\ndational to heal?c>e mod]nization &  
improvem5t 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 includ+-- 
7#a7 improv+ heal? lit]acy1 ,,iq1 k1 &  
education ab\t h[ ! body works & h[ to  
ma9ta9 heal? appropriately2  7#b7       
promot+ innovation 9 wellness &         
prev5tion2 &  7#c7 exp&+ rew>ds &       
inc5tives = heal?y behavior2 & ,:]eas   
organizations h recogniz$ ! mon? (      
,octob] z ,heal? ,lit]acy mon? to       
enc\rage doctors & o!r heal?            

pr(essionals to take an onl9e heal?     
lit]acy assessm5t & provide education to
 improve pati5t engagem5t3 ,n[1 !re=e1  
be x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives--    
7#a7 expresses support = ! designation (
 ,national ,heal? ,lit]acy ,day2  7#b7  
enc\rages individuals to assess _! heal?
 k & lit]acy1 & urges ! ,secret>y (     
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices to adopt new   
tools & inc5tives imm$iately to enc\rage
 individuals to assess & improve _!     
heal? k & lit]acy2  7#c7 calls on !     
,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices to 
issue a new action plan on heal? lit]acy
 t--  7,a7 includes specific            
recomm5dations & concrete /eps to       
improve & incorporate inc5tives into    
heal?c>e paym5t & deliv]y models t w    
improve heal? lit]acy2 &  7,b7 reflects 
! *anges 9 k & sci5ce ab\t heal? lit]acy
 & ! evolution 9 heal?c>e paym5t &      
deliv]y2 &  7#d7 enc\rages all int]e/$  
p>ties to promote heal? lit]acy to      
trans=m ! heal? & heal?c>e sy/em ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates4