Health literacy in chronic kidney disease education

Health literacy is an area of nursing research that is a relatively new concept in the understandings of the patient experience of chronic disease self management. Limited health literacy has been identified as a potential contributor to poor health outcomes including poor CKD outcomes. This paper critiques the link between health literacy and primary health care education with a focus on the issues surrounding people with chronic kidney disease and those who have the additional co-morbid conditions of diabetes mellitus and/or have entered older age. In additon, the paper presents three assessment tools currently being used to measure the health literacy and offers some strategies to increase the health literacy of people with CKD. Finally, suggested areas for future nephrology nursing research in this new area of health literacy are offered.