Abstract
BACKGROUND: With the digital transformation and the increase in digital health information, the opportunities for health promotion and disease prevention are also increasing. At the same time, the demands on dealing with health information and thus for (digital) health literacy are also increasing. However, existing studies show that a large part of the population in Germany is not adequately health literate, which points to a great need for political action. OBJECTIVES: This article therefore examines the extent to which health literacy has been successfully established as an issue and as a potential new policy area in Germany. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following the discussion on policy analysis, the paper considers five criteria ((1.) problem perception and agenda-setting, (2.) consensus on definition and objectives, (3.) empirical evidence, (4.) willingness to act and change, (5.) level of resources) against which it attempts to assess the development of health literacy as a new policy area. RESULTS: Overall, it can be shown that health literacy has undergone a rapid career as a topic in Germany and is becoming increasingly relevant both socially and politically. In recent years, important steps have been taken in establishing health literacy as a policy area, which have also attracted international attention. However, too little attention has been paid to digitalization and to linking the two discussions and developments, which have been conducted separately so far. To anchor health literacy sustainably as a policy field, several challenges have to be addressed. CONCLUSIONS: The importance of health literacy in the digital age is greater than ever. Meeting these challenges will therefore be an important task in the future.