Much of the original research that has exposed the
relationship between low literacy, patient decisionmaking,
compliance with prescribed medication use, and
capacity to self manage disease has emanated from the
United States. In this literature, the term ‘‘health literacy’’ is
commonly used to describe the set of individual literacy capacities that act as a mediating factor in health and
clinical decision-making (Baker, 2006). In this context, poor
literacy skills are seen as a potential risk factor that needs to
be managed in the process of providing clinical care.