Health Literacy Skills Instrument User Agreement

The Health Literacy Skills Instrument (HLSI) was developed to assess four (4) domains of health literacy skills: print literacy (reading and writing), numeracy skills, oral literacy skills (listening), and information seeking (navigation of Internet and facilities). Users are presented health information stimuli on the survey which represent health related issues across the life course for health promotion and disease prevention, health care maintenance and treatment, and health system and health information navigation.

The HLSI can be self-administered via a computer, which can reduce data collection costs and minimize potential discomfort or embarrassment among participants. The HLSI is designed to be used in intervention research studies as well as for national and local surveillance.

User Registration Form and Agreement

Individuals who plan to use the instrument are asked to complete the registration form on this page and submit it to RTI. After submitting the form, you will be directed to a page with a downloadable version of the Health Literacy Skills Instrument User Guide, and audio file stimuli.

The materials associated with the instrument are the property of RTI and its collaborators. The information provided herein is for information only and RTI and its collaborators expressly disclaim any obligation to maintain or update this information. No representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or views contained herein is or will be given by RTI. Any use of or reliance on any of the information or views herein is the sole responsibility of the user, and RTI expressly disclaims all liability associated with any such use.

Certain stimuli on the survey are made available to researcher through a limited license that RTI International has with Healthwise Incorporated (“Healthwise”) for the sole purpose of conducting a health literacy survey. Users cannot use the stimuli for purposes other than conducting a health literacy survey. This content is hosted on Healthwise servers for the duration of the licensing agreement. As part of RTI’s agreement with Healthwise, RTI will periodically share the following information with Healthwise Incorporated about those who request/download the HLSI: (1) the name of the researcher, (2) the researcher’s contact information, and (3) the researcher’s intended use of and plans for the HLSI.. The HLSI questionnaire contains links to the stimuli and will be shared with users upon submission of the following user registration form. To receive and have permission to use the HLSI, users must agree to these terms of use.

To continue our efforts to validate the instrument, we require that users share their de-identified data. We also will contact you periodically with updates about the instrument and results from studies which have used it.