Call for Improved Health Literacy Strategies in the ERA of COVID-19: Identified Problems and Proposed Solutions in Health Crises

The novel SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus is an ongoing threat that has led to unprecedented change and long-lasting impacts on global health. Health Literacy (HL) is an integral public health tool, empowering individuals to access knowledge, develop sound understanding of relevant health material and utilise health information to make informed decisions. During a health crisis, uncertainty, dynamic changes in knowledge and inequalities and variation in HL rates globally can have a direct impact on health behaviour. Due to these factors an individual’s ideas, concerns and expectations (ICE) regarding health practices in a crisis can vary.

Using COVID-19 as a case study, this report will outline how the components of ICE in a health problem correspond to different levels of HL which can be addressed in an organisational and individual level. By adopting integrated approaches encompassing ‘literacy sensitive’ information, community care and a culture of transparency and solidarity in a time of health crisis may help to bridge gaps in HL and empower individuals to make timely, effective and informed health choices in ongoing and future health crises.