It’s News Literacy Week, an annual event underscoring the vital role of news literacy in our society and providing audiences with the knowledge, tools, and abilities to become more adept at recognizing trustworthy sources. News literacy is the ability to determine what is credible and what is not, to identify different types of information, and to use the standards of authoritative, fact-based journalism as an aspirational measure in deciding what to trust, what to share, and what to act on. News literacy is integral for health literacy, especially in a time when misinformation is so prevalent.
Health literacy is defined as the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Being able to disseminate health information allows people to navigate the healthcare system, keep track of their medical history, competently engage in self-care, and understand the probability of health risks.