When great responsibility comes with limited options: experiences and needs of older community-dwelling adults regarding accessing, understanding, appraising and using health-related information.

The participants valued and took full responsibility for accessing, understanding, appraising and using information and services as part of a social norm; however, they experience information gaps. They request shared responsibility by being provided with fundamental health-related information as a vital step in making reasoned health-related decisions and navigating the healthcare system. They also request more inclusive and accessible service opportunities to bridge the gaps and facilitate HL. It is necessary to critically address, at a systematic level, the conflict between expected individual responsibility and the existence of options to act upon this responsibility. In matters of health, health services and HL, the need to analyse and confront structural disadvantages experienced by older adults is highlighted.