Health Literacy’s Role in Enhancing Lifestyle Interventions for Chronic Disease Prevention

This narrative review examines health literacy’s critical role in enhancing lifestyle interventions for chronic disease prevention, emphasizing its ability to bridge health information and behavioral change. The objective is to clarify how health literacy supports informed decision-making to reduce chronic disease risk, particularly in diverse and marginalized populations. Key themes include its multidimensional nature—functional, interactive, and critical—and its evolution to encompass digital health literacy. Findings show higher health literacy correlates with better adherence to lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, with culturally tailored interventions addressing health inequities. Digital tools like eHealth and mHealth enhance personalized communication but face challenges from misinformation and access disparities. Health literacy’s versatility is evident in clinical, community, and policy settings, exemplified by initiatives like Healthy People ۲۰۳۰. Socioeconomic and cultural barriers, notably in regions like Iran, necessitate context-specific approaches. The review concludes that health literacy, as a dynamic, context-dependent process, significantly enhances chronic disease prevention. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies, standardized tools, and investigations in low- and middle-income countries to address gaps and strengthen equitable health outcomes.

Keywords:

Chronic disease prevention , Cultural sensitivity , Digital health literacy , Health inequities , Lifestyle interventions