Health Literacy in OECD Countries and its Impact on the Asymmetric Information

Introduction: Healthcare is a special good, with charac­teristics that differentiate it from common goods-services of the full market. Its main characteristic is the asymmetry of information between providers and recipients of health services. Aim: The study of health literacy levels in OECD countries as well as the investigation of its impact on reducing the phenomenon of asymmetric information. Method: A systematic review of papers published up until December 2024 was conducted. Search was performed on PubMed, Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Schol­ar. The criteria for inclusion in this review were the researchers' calculation of the health literacy level in OECD countries, the factors that influence it and its effect on the reduction of proportionate information and its effect on the health level of the population. Results: Only 18 of the retrieved scientific papers met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Most of these were cross-sectional studies, conducted in one or more OECD countries. Conclusions: High levels of health literacy are associated with better understanding and use of the information that health ser­vice recipients receive from healthcare professionals, with a direct consequence of better eating habits, better physi­cal condition, and a healthier lifestyle. This is achieved through obtaining optimal solutions for issues related to their health, ultimately resulting in improved quality of life, rational use of healthcare services, and reduced healthcare costs.