An Introduction to Health Literacy in the Community

This section situates health literacy as a community asset. Health literacy is a social practice embedded within our social interactions. Within these social interactions, community health literacy is simultaneously built and used. Community settings provide fertile ground for intersectoral action for health literacy development. This is critical to address the health inequities that arise from the impact of the social determinants of health (including health literacy). The chapters in this section provide examples of programs that draw upon and build community health literacy within the local context. These programs are replete with cross-sectoral collaborations that typify the agility of the community sector to respond to opportunities for partnerships. These community settings (e.g. libraries, early childhood centres, sport) are present as part of daily life and, therefore, highly influential. Another key feature of these programs is a focus on learning about health and wellbeing through physical activity and movement as a means to support children’s (and their families) health literacy early in the life course. As well as these on-the-ground programs, the chapters make reference to the value of national policies and strategic directions for providing guidance together with the need for accountability measures for their implementation at all levels. This chapter first discusses health literacy as a social and relational concept and then introduces the six chapters in this section from diverse regions around the world.