Brief report on the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (‎‎‎ IUHPE)‎‎‎ position statement on health literacy: a practical vision for a health literate world

The IUHPE Position Statement on Health Literacy provides an overview of the
evidence and debate on health literacy. Developed by the IUHPE Global Working
Group on Health Literacy (GWG-HL), it provides a basis for advocacy among
stakeholders and partners in health promotion. This article aims to inform
policy-makers, practitioners and researchers about the Position Statement
so that they can use it to advocate for health literacy research, policy and
practice. The Position Statement includes background information on the
concept and definition of health literacy, and describes its importance as
a modifiable determinant of health. It calls for global action to improve health
literacy in populations; offers action points in policy, practice and research;
and advocates for a systems approach to health literacy underpinned by
global, national, regional and local policies. This article summarizes the
development process, highlights the Position Statement’s main points and
reports on current dissemination and implementation activities.