Using Ecological Systems Theory to Enhance Community Health Literacy

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated long-standing disparities that many people in the United States experience due to their race and ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

An outcry from several relevant stakeholders ignited a federal response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who, among other entities, decided to address low health literacy (HL) in underserved communities. Evidence suggests that HL impacts under-resourced communities' understanding of health issues and whether they adhere to health guidelines.

This article aims to provide an ecological analysis of HL best practices, highlighting their role in community health during public health crises.

Although a vast amount of literature applies Ecological Systems Theory (EST) to understanding and addressing a range of issues impacting the health of communities, scarce literature applies EST to understanding HL interventions.

We discuss implications for public health efforts, concluding that Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory is effective for grounding the development and implementation of best practices for promoting HL interventions. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2025;9(1):e29-e36.].