What is the impact of low health literacy on patient safety?

• A. Increases misinterpretation of instructions, leading to medication errors and poor safety
• B. Has no effect on safety
• C. Reduces the need for interpreters
• D. Improves adherence due to more detailed explanations

Answer: (A)

Understanding health literacy means recognizing how well a person can obtain, process, and act on health information. When this ability is limited, instructions about medications, dosages, timing, and safety warnings can be misinterpreted. Misreading a label or a dosing schedule can lead to taking too much or too little, taking at the wrong times, or missing doses, all of which threaten patient safety. Clinicians can help by using plain language, avoiding medical jargon, and confirming understanding with the teach-back method, as well as providing clear written materials and visuals. This approach directly reduces the risk of medication errors and other safety problems.

The idea that health literacy has no effect on safety is incorrect, since comprehension gaps are a known safety risk. It’s also not true that low literacy reduces the need for interpreters; in fact, additional support is often necessary to ensure understanding. And while more explanations can help, low health literacy is typically associated with poorer adherence unless communications are tailored to the patient’s level and validated for understanding.