Global Examination of Health Literacy in Urologic Malignancies

Health literacy (HL) is defined by the National Institute of Health as the degree to which individuals can find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Poor HL is prevalent among the general population of the United States (US), with only 12% of US adults possessing proficient HL to understand and utilize information delivered by healthcare providers. Furthermore, HL is a quantifiable metric that impacts oncologic outcomes in various malignancies. Given widespread deficits in HL, providers must assess patients' understanding of their health and tailor their discussion of diagnoses, management, and potential complications of management so that patients can make informed decisions. To date, literature examining HL and its impact on urologic oncology outcomes is sparse. Therefore, we conducted a narrative review examining publicly available information on HL in urologic oncology and propose future avenues for research endeavors.