Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Feature
  • Published:

Understanding the link between health literacy and oral health outcomes: Promoting oral health equity and raising awareness

BDJ Student volume 31, pages 58–59 (2024)Cite this article

The summer between my 4th and 5th year of BDS studies, I took part in an internship project called 'Health literacy and experiences of dental care in socially excluded groups living in Scotland using a mixed method approach'. My role was to help Xuanyun Lu, the PhD student author of this research study, with data collection.

Health literacy, as defined by the World Health Organisation, refers to the ability of individuals to have access, understand, assess, and utilise healthcare services and information, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health needs. It involves providing people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to actively engage in their care, navigate healthcare systems, and act upon health information.1

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. World Health Organisation. Ninth Global Conference on Health Promotion, Shanghai 2016. Available at: www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/enhanced-wellbeing/ninth-global-conference/health-literacy (accessed March 2024).

  2. Public Health England. Local action on health inequalities: improving health literacy. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-action-on-health-inequalities-improving-health-literacy (accessed March 2024).

  3. Coughlin S S, Vernon M, Hatzigeorgiou C and George V. (2020). Health Literacy, Social Determinants of Health, and Disease Prevention and Control. J Environ Health Sci 2020; 6: 3061.

  4. Jacky B, Niall M, Morag M. Oral health literacy, oral health behaviours and dental outcomes. Evid Based Dent 2018; 19: 69-70.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom

    Diana Ispas

Authors
  1. Diana Ispas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Diana Ispas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ispas, D. Understanding the link between health literacy and oral health outcomes: Promoting oral health equity and raising awareness. BDJ Student 31, 58–59 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-024-1381-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-024-1381-z

Search

Advanced search

Quick links