Health Literacy Emerging as a Priority in Delaware's Community Health Needs Assessments

Health literacy is increasingly recognized as a key factor in health outcomes, patient engagement, and health equity. This article examines its integration into Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) across Delaware. Drawing on recent CHNAs and guidance from the Health Literacy Council of Delaware (HLCD), it highlights growing recognition of health literacy as a priority among health systems. While several systems incorporated health literacy into their assessments, none fully adopted the standardized questions recommended by HLCD, resulting in variation in how data are collected and measured. Findings reveal ongoing challenges in understanding health information, particularly among socially vulnerable populations, with barriers including education, language, and cultural differences. Despite these gaps, the inclusion of some level of health literacy assessment in CHNAs represents meaningful progress. Expanding the use of standardized approaches in future CHNAs will be critical to improving data consistency and advancing more coordinated, statewide solutions.