Why do we need health literacy? Through a health promotion and social justice lens, Laurie Hoffman-Goetz, Lorie Donelle, and Rukhsana Ahmed describe health literacy as an increasingly important determinant of health and highlight the necessity of health literacy skills for ensuring equitable access to health care information and services. This core text offers a critical examination of how culture, ethnicity, social media applications, and the literacy and digital divides affect individuals’ ability to secure health information, services, and support. Health Literacy in Canada will inform the way we respond to public health issues in Canada and around the world. This pedagogically rich and highly accessible text is ideal for use in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in public health, health promotion, health communication, risk communication and perception, and gerontology. Features:

• contains extensive learning tools for students, including summaries of key points, questions for reflection, learning exercises, a glossary, and a list of additional resources
• provides a comprehensive review of fundamental health literacy concepts including definitions, models, and measurement tools
• emphasizes Canadian-centred examples of health literacy policy milestones
• offers concrete recommendations for improving health literacy in everyday settings

Laurie Hoffman-Goetz is Professor of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo.

Laurie Hoffman-Goetz's profile page

Lorie Donelle is Associate Professor of Health Sciences at Western University.

Lorie Donelle's profile page

Rukhsana Ahmed is Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Ottawa.

Rukhsana Ahmed's profile page

"Addressing health literacy from a social justice perspective, this book explores multiple areas of importance, including social determinants of health, culture, and information technology, while outlining the relationships between these topics."— “Lynne Robinson, School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University