This report examines health literacy using information from the 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS). The ALLS provides information on the knowledge and skills of 15 to 74 year olds in the following four domains: prose literacy, document literacy, numeracy and problem solving. A fifth domain measuring health literacy was produced as a by-product of the above domains. Health literacy is the main focus of this report.

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing provided funding for the calculation of the health literacy scale.