Health literacy—the ability to understand and use health information—is not an academic idea. In workers’ compensation, it is the foundation for recovery. When injured workers cannot make sense of their diagnosis, treatment, or benefits, they disengage. Recovery slows, disability periods lengthen, costs climb, and frustration grows. When they do understand, they become active participants in their healing. Engagement is the engine of recovery, and health literacy is the key that starts it.
I learned this truth early in my career. On my second day as a claims examiner, my supervisor dropped four files on my desk and told me to call the doctors and either approve or deny surgeries. I had no medical training—only a semester of high school physiology—yet I was being asked to make decisions that could change lives. At the time, I trusted the doctors and approved every surgery. Years later, when I was overseeing claims operations, I made sure those decisions were left only to medical professionals. It was the right change, and it underscored something larger: people without medical training cannot be expected to make complex medical choices. And yet that is exactly the position most injured workers find themselves in when they are hurt.
The World Health Organization defines health literacy as the ability to find, understand, and use health information to make informed decisions. That definition has two sides. Personal health literacy is the worker’s ability to understand their condition, their treatment options, and their role in recovery. Organizational health literacy is the responsibility of employers, claims administrators, and medical providers to communicate in a way that makes understanding possible. When either side fails, engagement falters.
Workers’ compensation adds another layer. Injured workers don’t just need to know about their medical care; they must also develop “workers’ compensation literacy.” They need to understand their rights and responsibilities, how claims are reported and processed, what benefits are available, and how disputes are resolved. Without this system knowledge, the process feels arbitrary and intimidating, which discourages participation.
The effects are not only administrative—they are deeply human. Workers who understand what is happening experience less anxiety and fear. They are more confident in their recovery, more likely to follow through with therapy and medication, and better able to explain their situation to their families. This support network then strengthens their recovery. When workers grasp the return-to-work process, they are more willing to reengage with their employer, even if modified duties are required. Clarity breeds confidence, and confidence drives engagement.
Improving literacy does not require grand programs. It requires clear, plain communication without jargon. It requires checking for understanding—asking workers to repeat instructions back in their own words. It requires reinforcing information in multiple ways: verbal explanations, written materials, visual aids, and even short videos or apps. Technology can help by reminding, demonstrating, and tracking progress. But technology must never replace the human touch. A coach, supervisor, or case manager who listens, encourages, and answers questions is often the single most important factor in keeping an injured worker engaged.
Organizations also have a role. Employers can prepare workers ahead of time by providing education on rights and processes before injuries occur. Claims administrators can adopt standardized communication protocols so that messages from doctors, adjusters, and HR do not contradict each other. Medical providers can prioritize patient education, making sure that “informed consent” truly means the worker understands. Case managers can serve as translators of medical complexity, advocates for comprehension, and steady points of contact when the system feels fragmented.
The case for improving health literacy is not only moral but financial. Research shows that workers with higher health literacy adhere better to treatment, return to work faster, and require fewer disputes and interventions. Health literacy programs have demonstrated reductions in medical costs, disability durations, and litigation, while improving satisfaction and trust. In other words, investing in literacy pays for itself many times over.
If I, after a lifetime in workers’ compensation, sometimes feel lost in the maze of medical terminology and protocols, imagine how a warehouse worker, a nurse’s aide, or a farmworker feels when they are suddenly injured. For them, health literacy is not a slogan—it is the difference between passive confusion and active engagement in their recovery.
Engagement begins with understanding. When we make the system clear and communicate with respect, we give injured workers the confidence to participate in their healing, the strength to return to work, and the dignity of being partners in their recovery. That is the true promise of health literacy.
