We anticipate that this update will continue to raise awareness among clinicians and policymakers alike that low health literacy has a substantial impact on the use of health care services and health outcomes; it also hints at the role of health literacy in disparities in utilization or outcomes among groups defined by various sociodemographic characteristics. However, little remains known about the direct effect of lower health literacy on the costs of health care. Addressing the burden of low health literacy that we have identified warrants the attention of many stakeholders. We highlight effective interventions that could be implemented in clinical practice.
