Health education is a vital role within nursing, as it can help individuals, their families and whanau to make informed choices to maintain and improve health own health (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). In New Zealand, low health literacy rates are of concern. Statistics show that 56.2% of New Zealand adults scored below the minimum requirement to meet the daily demands of life and work (Ministry of Health, 2010). The purpose of this assignment is to discuss health literacy, as well as provide strategies that can be applied to improve the high literacy rates in New Zealand. A reflection on how learning health literacy will contribute to future nursing practice will conclude the paper. Health literacy is defined as "the degree to which individuals have the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions." ” (Ministry of Health, 2010, p. iii). Furthermore, this definition emphasizes that health literacy is much more than simply being able to read instructions; recognizes whether a customer is able to listen to and analyze health information. This includes the ability to read prescribing guidelines, understand health education leaflets, understand instructions from healthcare professionals and accurately complete consent forms in order to make appropriate healthcare decisions (Health Navigator NZ, 2013). Results from the 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey found approximately 1.6 million New Zealand adults have poor health literacy skills (Workbase, n.d.). Furthermore, Māori aged 16–65 have the poorest health literacy compared to non-Māori across all measured variables (Ministry of Health, 2010). ....ILE/korero-marama.pdfMinistry of Health. 2012. Rauemi Atawhai: A guide to developing resources for health education in New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health. Retrieved from http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/rauemiatawhai4web.pdfNew Zealand Nurses Organization and College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc. (2011). Call to action: health literacy policies and practices for nurses. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Retrieved from http://nurse.org.nz/guidelines.htmlNew Zealand Nurses Organization and College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc (2012). Position statement. Health literacy. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Retrieved from: http://www.nzno.org.nz/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=GPbcXpviZxM%3DWorkbase. (n.d.). What is health literacy. Retrieved from: http://www.healthliteracy.org.nz