,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #cif  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,october  
#ca1 #bjai,mr4 ,murphy 7for himself1    
,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1  
and ,mr4 ,scott of ,south ,carolina7    
submitted the following resolution2     
which was referred to the ,committee on 
the ,judiciary  ,,resolution            
,designating ,october #bjai as ,national
 ,health ,literacy ,month4  ,whereas    
health literacy is the degree to which  
individuals can obtain and understand   
basic health information in order to    
make informed health decisions2         
,whereas1 according to the latest       
national assessment of health literacy1 
a majority of adults have intermediate  
health literacy1 while more than        
#ge1jjj1jjj adults have basic or below  
basic health literacy2 ,whereas language
 and cultural differences can affect    
health literacy and thereby lower       
effective health communication between  
providers and patients2 ,whereas1       

according to the ,agency for ,healthcare
 ,research and ,quality1 low health     
literacy is associated with higher rates
 of emergency care use1 increased       
hospitalizations1 and1 among seniors1   
higher mortality2 ,whereas the ,agency  
for ,healthcare ,research and ,quality  
also found that low health literacy can 
be associated with a lack of medication 
adherence2 ,whereas experts estimate    
that the annual cost of low health      
literacy to the ,united ,states economy 
is between #ajf1jjj1jjj1jjj and         
#bch1jjj1jjj1jjj2 ,whereas mental health
 literacy may lead to better outcomes   
for individuals with mental disorders1  
particularly individuals with suicidal  
ideation1 either by facilitating early  
help-seeking by those individuals or    
helping others identify early signs of  
mental disorders and seek help on behalf
 of those individuals2 ,whereas health  
literacy can assist in preventing       
disease and illness1 increasing life    
expectancy1 improving patient care and  

outcomes1 and reducing health care      
costs2 ,whereas1 in #bjaj1 the          
,department of ,health and ,human       
,services issued a ,national ,action    
,plan to ,improve ,health ,literacy that
 establishes #g goals2 and ,whereas     
advocacy organizations have recognized  
the month of ,october as ,national      
,health ,literacy ,month to increase    
awareness about the importance of making
 health information easy to understand3 
,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that the       
,senate-- 7#a7 designates ,october #bjai
 as ,national ,health ,literacy ,month2 
7#b7 encourages individuals to assess   
and improve their health knowledge and  
literacy2  7#c7 recommends that health  
care providers deliver health services  
in a clear and comprehensive manner2 and
  7#d7 encourages all interested parties
 to promote the importance of health    
literacy4