Welcome to Health Literacy Studies, located in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with Dr. Rima Rudd as Principal Investigator.
This HSPH Health Literacy website was designed for professionals in health and education who are interested in health literacy. This was the first academic site to provide resources and links in the burgeoning area of health literacy research studies and practice. We continue to provide unique tools as well as links to key resources – documents, articles, materials, and organizations.
Health literacy is now considered a new variable for analyses of health outcomes. Research findings provide insights for the design and development of health materials, for professional education and practice, for institutional change, and for policy initiatives. We hope you enjoy, use, and share the resources.
Rima E. Rudd, MSPH, ScD
Senior Lecturer on Health Literacy, Education and Policy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Rima Rudd, a long standing member of the faculty in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and one of the founders of health literacy inquiry, has been focusing her research and policy work on literacy related barriers to health information, programs, services. Current course offerings build professional skills to identify, measure, and remove existing barriers and thereby reduce inequities.
How to cite the entire HLS web site:
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Health Literacy Studies Web Site. Available at: http:www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy. Accessed ‘insert date.’
NOTE: We highlight a new addition to the section Practice: Strategies and Tools. The HLE2 is an update of the 2007 Health Literacy Environment of Hospitals and Health Centers. Characteristics of our hospitals, health centers, and health services can facilitate or inhibit access to health information, health care, and health services. This tool enables one to assess various components of the health literacy environment and supports our efforts to shape health literate organizations.
updated: July 31, 2019
