Washington, D.C., Oct. 1, 2024 — The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proud to celebrate Health Literacy Month this October, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring that Veterans and their caregivers can easily access, understand, and utilize VA health information and services. By prioritizing both personal and organizational health literacy, VA empowers Veterans to make informed decisions about their health care.
Health literacy, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has two key components: personal and organizational. Personal health literacy refers to an individual’s ability to locate, comprehend, and apply health information. Organizational health literacy reflects how well health care providers like VA support people in finding and using those resources.
“Health literacy is foundational to the best kind of dialogue between patient and provider. It empowers Veterans to take charge of their own health,” said Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks at VA.
To further enhance Veterans’ health care experiences, VA encourages proactive engagement in medical visits. Veterans are urged to prepare questions, take notes, and bring a support person to appointments. VA also offers several resources to help Veterans get the most out of their health care, including:
- Preparing for a Visit with Your Healthcare Provider(Veterans Affairs): A resource in the Veterans Health Library.
- AHRQ QuestionBuilder App: Helps Veterans plan their next visit with suggested questions.
- Ask Me Three®: A tool that helps focus on key concerns during medical appointments.
- Be Involved in Your Health Care: Guidance on taking an active role in health care decisions.
- VA Resource Navigator: A tool to help Veterans access health resources.
Through these resources and VA’s dedication to health literacy, the organization continues to improve the overall care experience for Veterans nationwide.
For more information, visit va.gov.