Published: 6 February, 2026 People living with diabetes make numerous daily decisions that impact their health – what to eat, when to check their blood glucose levels, when to take insulin, and when to seek support. Their health literacy directly impacts these decisions. As a health professional, you play a central role in improving health literacy for the people you support living with diabetes by helping them to build understanding, confidence and practical skills to enhance their long-term health. What shapes health literacy The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) resource, Improving Health Literacy for People with Diabetes, highlights that health literacy is about more than being able to read information. It’s about having the skills and confidence to: communicate and engage with health providers navigate health system environments apply knowledge and skills. Health literacy is shaped by conversations, education materials and clinical environments, which is where you can have the most impact. Here’s how. Have person-centred conversations One of the most effective ways to improve ’ health literacy in the people you support is to make every interaction as transparent and supportive as possible. Person-centred care recognises the whole person, not just their medical condition. It supports them to take an active role in their health. You can encourage person-centred care using the principles outlined in NDSS’s Person-Centred Care Toolkit, which includes: focusing on the whole person, their needs and goals respecting their culture and health beliefs clearly outlining care options, benefits, risks, access and costs partnering with them to ensure they are involved in decisions about their care. Build confidence with credible and accessible information In an era of information overload, diabetes care information should support better interactions between health professionals and the people they support, while reducing health inequities. You can reduce overwhelm in the people you support by limiting the information you provide to only the most relevant to them at that time. When you present information: use simple, plain language include meaningful visuals supply various formats (hard copy, online, audio) make it accessible for people of diverse backgrounds and abilities use the ‘teach-back’ method to check they understand. Diabetes Australia’s Position Statement: Our Language Matters is a valuable guide for clear, respectful, and inclusive communication. Partner for long-term health benefits Improving health literacy is about empowering people with diabetes to take charge of their health. As a health professional, you can encourage confidence and skills in the people you support by: creating a safe environment where clients feel free to ask questions involving them in goal setting and care decisions linking them with diabetes education programs, peer support groups and credible resources like the NDSS fact sheets coordinating care across different services, such as explaining referral pathways. Make communities and care environments easier to navigate Beyond supporting individual people , health professionals can help create communities and healthcare environments that are safe and easier to navigate for people living with diabetes. This may involve advocating for diabetes consumer engagement in service design or sharing general diabetes information that increases overall health literacy. Ultimately, every effort to improve health literacy empowers people living with diabetes and promotes healthier communities.
