ABSTRACT
The World Health Organisation defines health education as any combination of learning experiences designed to help individuals and communities improve their health, by increasing their knowledge or influencing their attitudes'. In the narrowest sense, being health literate means being able to understand medicine leaflets, follow self-care instructions and appreciate the causes of ill health. D. Nutbeam describes health literacy as 'the personal, cognitive and social skills which determine the ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information to promote and maintain good health.' Health promotion campaigns, and health fairsdo have the potential to change attitudes and increase knowledge of certain issues. There are many resources available to health promoters other than leaflets and posters. Health information resource libraries usually sit within local public health departments and act as an essential one-stop shop for the wider public health workforce. In the modern world the public is bombarded with health messages from a range of sources.
