International Journal of Infectious Diseases
February 2016 Volume 43, p1-110
Open Access
http://www.ijidonline.com/current

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Editorial
Health literacy: a concept with potential to greatly impact the infectious diseases field
Richard H. Osborne, Alison Beauchamp, Roy Batterham
p101–102
Published online: December 24 2015
Preview
This edition of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases presents a comprehensive narrative review of health literacy research by Castro-Sánchez et al. that has been undertaken across conditions and countries. Health literacy is a relatively new concept in medicine and, for many, has some immediate appeal. The term was coined by Simonds in the 1970s, who argued the case for school health education, with the intention that pupils would not only be educated in the customary curriculum subjects, but might become as ‘literate’ in health as they were, for example, in history and science.

Reviews
Health literacy and infectious diseases: why does it matter?
Enrique Castro-Sánchez, Peter W.S. Chang, Rafael Vila-Candel, Angel A. Escobedo, Alison H. Holmes
p103–110
Published online: January 2 2016
Preview
The planetary scale of the threat presented by infectious diseases to human health and society has been well described.1 An intricate arrangement of clinical, societal, and ecological determinants powers the emergence of new infectious pathogens such as Ebola virus, and the resurgence of others previously considered to be under control. These same factors drive the unsustainable use and consumption of antimicrobials,2 sketching the looming prospect of a ‘world without antibiotics’ reflected upon by many,3 and without new therapeutic agents likely to be developed at a sufficient rate and periodicity to provide a significant counterbalance.
Highlights
:: Health literacy is an emerging public health and research field.
:: There are limited studies focused on health literacy and infectious diseases.
:: Infections such as malaria with a high burden of morbidity were underrepresented.
:: Most investigations considered functional but not critical health literacy.
Summary
Objectives
Multifactorial interventions are crucial to arrest the threat posed by infectious diseases. Public involvement requires adequate information, but determinants such as health literacy can impact on the effective use of such knowledge. The influence of health literacy on infectious diseases is examined in this paper.
Methods
Databases were searched from January 1999 through July 2015 seeking studies reporting on health literacy and infections such tuberculosis, malaria, and influenza, and infection-related behaviours such as vaccination and hand hygiene. HIV was excluded, as comprehensive reviews have already been published.
Results
Studies were found on antibiotic knowledge and use, the adoption of influenza and MMR immunizations, and screening for sexually transmitted and viral hepatitis infections. There was a lack of investigations on areas such as tuberculosis, malaria, hand hygiene, and diarrhoeal diseases.
Conclusions
Limited or insufficient health literacy was associated with reduced adoption of protective behaviours such as immunization, and an inadequate understanding of antibiotics, although the relationship was not consistent. Large gaps remain in relation to infectious diseases with a high clinical and societal impact, such as tuberculosis and malaria.