Current Situations and Challenges in the Development of Health Information Literacy

Abstract

Health information literacy (HIL) is a significant concept that has gradually become known to the broader public in recent years. Although the definitions of HIL and health literacy seem to overlap, as an independent subconcept, HIL still shows a unique influence on improvements in people’s health and health education. Remarkable evidence indicates that online health information (OHI) can effectively enrich people’s knowledge and encourage patients to actively join the medical process, which is also accompanied by the emergence of various assessment tools. Although the current assessment tools, to a certain extent, can help people identify their shortcomings and improve their HIL, many studies have indicated that the deficiencies of the scales induce incomplete or unreal results of their HIL. In addition, continuing research has revealed an increasing number of influencing factors that have great effects on HIL and even regulate the different trends in doctor–patient relationships. Simultaneously, most of the uncensored OHI broadcasts have also affected the improvement in HIL in various ways. Thus, this review aims to summarize the assessment tools, influencing factors and current situations and challenges related to HIL. Further studies are required to provide more trusted and deeper references for the development of HIL.