• Lorraine S Evangelista, Kismet D Rasmusson, Ann S Laramee, Joan Barr, Susan E Ammon, Sandra Dunbar, Susan Ziesche, J Herbert Patterson, and Clyde W Yancy.
• School of Nursing, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. levangel@ucla.edu <levangel@ucla.edu>
• J. Card. Fail. 2010 Jan 1; 16 (1): 9-16.

BackgroundLow health literacy compromises patient safety, quality health care, and desired health outcomes. Specifically, low health literacy is associated with decreased knowledge of one's medical condition, poor medication recall, nonadherence to treatment plans, poor self-care behaviors, compromised physical and mental health, greater risk of hospitalization, and increased mortality.MethodsThe health literacy literature was reviewed for: definitions, scope, risk factors, assessment, impact on health outcomes (cardiovascular disease and heart failure), and interventions. Implications for future research and for clinical practice to address health literacy in heart failure patients were summarized.ResultsGeneral health literacy principles should be applied to patients with heart failure, similar to others with chronic conditions. Clinicians treating patients with heart failure should address health literacy using five steps: recognize the consequences of low health literacy, screen patients at risk, document literacy levels and learning preferences, and integrate effective strategies to enhance patients' understanding into practice.ConclusionAlthough the literature specifically addressing low health literacy in patients with heart failure is limited, it is consistent with the larger body of health literacy evidence. Timely recognition of low health literacy combined with tailored interventions should be integrated into clinical practice.

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