[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 173 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 396--DESIGNATING OCTOBER 2019 AS ``NATIONAL HEALTH 
                            LITERACY MONTH''

  Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. 
Scott of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                              S. Res. 396

       Whereas health literacy is the degree to which individuals 
     can obtain and understand basic health information in order 
     to make informed health decisions;
       Whereas, according to the latest national assessment of 
     health literacy, a majority of adults have intermediate 
     health literacy, while more than 75,000,000 adults have basic 
     or below basic health literacy;
       Whereas language and cultural differences can affect health 
     literacy and thereby lower effective health communication 
     between providers and patients;
       Whereas, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research 
     and Quality, low health literacy is associated with higher 
     rates of emergency care use, increased hospitalizations, and, 
     among seniors, higher mortality;
       Whereas the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality also 
     found that low health literacy can be associated with a lack 
     of medication adherence;
       Whereas experts estimate that the annual cost of low health 
     literacy to the United States economy is between 
     $106,000,000,000 and $238,000,000,000;
       Whereas mental health literacy may lead to better outcomes 
     for individuals with mental disorders, particularly 
     individuals with suicidal ideation, either by facilitating 
     early help-seeking by those individuals or helping others 
     identify early signs of mental disorders and seek help on 
     behalf of those individuals;
       Whereas health literacy can assist in preventing disease 
     and illness, increasing life expectancy, improving patient 
     care and outcomes, and reducing health care costs;
       Whereas, in 2010, the Department of Health and Human 
     Services issued a National Action Plan to Improve Health 
     Literacy that establishes 7 goals; and
       Whereas advocacy organizations have recognized the month of 
     October as ``National Health Literacy Month'' to increase 
     awareness about the importance of making health information 
     easy to understand: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates October 2019 as ``National Health Literacy 
     Month'';
       (2) encourages individuals to assess and improve their 
     health knowledge and literacy;
       (3) recommends that health care providers deliver health 
     services in a clear and comprehensive manner; and
       (4) encourages all interested parties to promote the 
     importance of health literacy.

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