Addressing health literacy in schools in the WHO European Region

The education system as a  whole and schools in particular are important settings for the development of health literacy among children. Any improvement in health literacy skills may benefit the health, growth and development of children, as well as their health in later life and the health of the broader society. This short communication presents some of the prerequisites for schools to become key settings for health literacy development in school-aged children. Recent research and the current status of school health literacy policies in the WHO European Region will also be reviewed. We argue that health literacy must become a critical agenda item in education policies across the Region and, moreover, intersect with further sectoral strategies and policies on health literacy and public health across the political spectrum.