Health Literacy Curricula in Pediatric Residency Programs: A National Survey.

Abstract

Objective: Using health literacy informed communication strategies can mitigate health inequities. Despite the high prevalence of limited health literacy among parents and children, pediatricians infrequently use clear communication techniques and further education is imperative. There is minimal literature exploring health literacy curricula in pediatric residencies. We sought to evaluate health literacy education across pediatric residency programs.

Methods: The Academic Pediatric Association's Health Literacy Special Interest Group performed a national, cross-sectional survey of pediatric associate program directors from July 2022 to September 2022. We asked about the presence of health literacy curricula, teaching strategies used, content highlighted, outcomes assessed, and barriers encountered.

Results: Among 55 associate program directors from programs diverse in setting, size, and geographic region who participated, most (84%) reported their residents would benefit from more health literacy training. Only 44% reported the presence of health literacy education, with minimal teaching of evidence-based principles, such as the universal precautions approach to clear communication.

Conclusion: Health literacy is infrequently taught in pediatric residency programs and there is appreciable variability among existing curricula. There is need for greater dissemination of existing resources, as well as standardization of curricula and assessment tools to ensure pediatricians are well-versed in use of health literacy-informed communication techniques. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2025;9(1):e3-e7.].