I certainly agree with Audrey. Limited HL is not the fault of the patient rather it is the fault of the system. 
 
I do not favor labelling because of the following reasons
 

Labelling itself is a barrier where one becomes superior compared to the other and hence the possibility of unequal treatment/disparities.
 

When people talk about illiterate or patients with limited health literacy, they often have a typical image and then they try to see if the image fits the person in question. Unfortunately limitations of health literacy comes in many different shapes and forms and there is no typical example or way to deal with it.
 

Making communication clear and simple to understand is an objective which should not change whether the patient has inadequate health literacy or proficient health literacy. 
 
Nadia

"Religion often sees God as an answer. Spirituality sees God as a question."


Nadia Ali, M.D, M.B;B.S
Academic Internist,
University of Pennsylvania Health System
800 Spruce Street, 1 Pine West,
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
www.healthliteracynow.org

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