Strengthen health literacy

The results of the Health Literacy Survey Switzerland 2019-21 are now summarized in fact sheets. These also show Switzerland in international comparison. It became clear that health literacy can still be improved in various areas.

(red) Health literacy is the ability of individuals to make decisions that positively impact their health. In this context, it encompasses a person’s motivation, knowledge, and ability to find, understand, and assess health information. Strengthening the health literacy of the population is a goal of the Federal Council’s Health2030 strategy. Thanks to optimization of population information, people should be able to navigate the healthcare system more efficiently, prevent diseases, and manage their health more carefully. The aim is to address disadvantaged target groups with translated and easy-to-understand information. The current state of health literacy among the Swiss population in international comparison was investigated by the Health Literacy Survey Switzerland 2019-21. In it, 49% of respondents reported frequent difficulties in dealing with health information. Accordingly, health literacy is rather low. Taking all 17 countries (including Switzerland) together, 46% of respondents report frequent difficulties. Thus, the proportion of people with low health literacy is slightly higher in Switzerland.