Health literacy: a concept/dimensional analysis.

The terms "health" and "literacy" form a powerful concept that has evolved from the 1970s to one that has garnered the attention of a wide range of disciplines; most notably, education and health care, but also library science, public health, and the mental health arena. There are many definitions of health literacy, but none that encompass the totality by which the concept is constructed. This paper presents an analysis of the concept of health literacy using the technique of concept/dimensional analysis. A clear understanding of the concept is essential as health literacy has implications that are far-reaching and impact both the individual and society.