Functional literacy: Skills that allow an individual to read consent forms, medicine
labels, and health care information and to understand written and oral information given
by physicians, nurses, pharmacists, or other health care professionals and to act on
directions by taking medication correctly, adhering to self-care at home, and keeping
appointment schedules.
• Conceptual literacy: The wide range of skills, and competencies that people develop
over their lifetimes to seek out, comprehend, evaluate, and use health information and
concepts to make informed choices, reduce health risks, and increase quality of life.
• Health literacy as empowerment: Strengthening active citizenship for health by
bringing together a commitment to citizenship with health promotion and prevention
efforts and involving individuals in: understanding their rights as patients and their ability
to navigate through the health care system; acting as an informed consumers about the
health risks of products and services and about options in health care providers, and acting
individually or collectively to improve health through the political system through voting,
advocacy or membership of social movements