This study analyses the relationship of low health literacy and non-participation in breast screening. It defines health literacy, discusses its measurement tools, reports on health literacy studies in various populations, describes participation rates in the Hungarian breast screening program, reviews studies dealing with the effect of health literacy on breast screening participation
and makes recommendations for the improvement of health literacy. Health literacy is the ability to gain, understand, and appraise health related information as well as using said information in decision making. There are validated tools for measuring
it. Like in other countries, surveys in Hungary found that the health literacy of the population is rather low. About half of the population has poor or problematic health literacy.