Australians will be better supported to find, understand and use reliable health information following the Government launch of the first-ever National Health Literacy Framework, developed by experts at the University of Sydney.

Health literacy refers to a person’s ability to access and use information and services to make informed decisions about their health, from understanding when to get a screening test to knowing where to seek care and making sense of treatment options.

Lower health literacy is linked with delayed care, higher hospital use, poorer chronic disease management, medication errors and avoidable hospitalisations.

Professor Kirsten McCaffery, Director of the Sydney Health Literacy Lab, which led the development of the new Framework, said:

“Health literacy isn’t just about understanding information. It’s about knowing where to find information and who to trust.

"There is a lot of useful health guidance available online and on social media, but there is also much that is misleading, false or linked to influencers with vested financial interests.

“Helping Australians unpick what can be trusted and what should be scrutinised is vital - and is why we’re so pleased to have worked with government on the National Health Literacy Framework.”

The newly-launched Framework provides the first nationally coordinated approach to improving health literacy in Australia, providing evidence-based guidance to support the development of policies and programs by all levels of government, health services and community organisations to improve health literacy.

An analysis by The Economist estimates that if health literacy increased by 25 percent, the Australian health system could save $7.3 billion annually.

The Hon Rebecca White MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, said:

“Health literacy gives people the confidence to understand their health and make informed decisions about their care.

“With more health information at our fingertips than ever before, particularly through social media and AI, knowing what information you can trust really matters.

“People shouldn’t have to be health experts to understand their own health. This framework provides a national roadmap to help all people in Australia make informed health decisions and make sure health information is communicated clearly in a way that is easy to understand."

The Framework recognises that improving health literacy is not just the responsibility of individuals - health services, information and systems must also be easier to access, understand and use.

It also supports the delivery of culturally safe and inclusive health information and services for diverse communities, including First Nations peoples and multicultural communities who may face additional barriers to accessing care.

Saad Khalid, Chair of the Community Panel, Sydney Health Literacy Lab, said:

"For many communities, especially migrant and multicultural communities like mine, it can be hard to know where to go for the right information. 

"Making sure that information and services are easy to find, understand and use will help people navigate the health system more easily and access the best possible guidance."

The Australian Government provided funding to the Sax Institute and the Sydney Health Literacy Lab at the University of Sydney to develop the Framework as part of the implementation of the National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030.