Highlighting Progress in the Field of Health Literacy Research

We are pleased to present the 2014 special issue on health literacy of the Journal of Health Communication. This is our fifth annual special issue, and we greatly appreciate the journal’s continued dedication to health literacy research. This year’s special issue covers a broad range of topics and perspectives, from a variety of disciplines and with an array of methods. With this special issue, we hope not only to highlight progress investigators are making in this field but also to acknowledge ongoing challenges and limitations. As in previous years, this special issue builds on research presented at the fifth Health Literacy Annual Research Conference (HARCV), which was held on October 28th and 29th, 2013, in Washington, DC, and was attended by a strong majority of health literacy investigators from around the world. The conference fulfilled its objectives of advancing the science of health literacy research, promoting interdisciplinary research to challenge investigators to engage health literacy in a manner that is responsive to the complex nature of the problem, and professional development. This year’s special issue is a reflection of the constantly evolving and growing field of health literacy research. Included are 23 articles and commentaries from across the United States, Europe, and Asia. These articles describe innovative