Hello Andres,
I agree that the definitions of health literacy in current use are very one sided. Literacy, of course, does not take
place in a vacuum. We must also consider the other side of the coin which can be described as the demand side.  

I cannot speak officially for HHS or for the IOM; however, I can share my story about the definitions. I have a sense
that both organizations applied the definition in use at the time -- partly  to maintain some consistency  in what was
then [2003 and 2004] still considered a new field of inquiry and practice. I contributed to the discussions of
limitations and to the modifications. You will see an expressed wish to expand the definition of health literacy in the
documents from HHS and the IOM. Both HHS and IOM made it very clear that the definition in use was limited. 

Notice the HHS Action Plan published in the fall of 2003 [Communicating Health: Priorities and Strategies for Progress,
Action Plans to Achieve the Health Communication Objectives in Healthy People 2010.]  Page 35 begins the section on
Objective 11-2: Improvement of Health Literacy [I was the 'drafter']. The demand side is highlighted [see the section
starting at the bottom of page 38 and continuing through page 42. Among the highlighted section heads and discussions
are:
1. Health literacy assessments are too narrowly focused on the ability of individuals to use the written word.
2. Health professionals' skills and the burdens of medical jargon, technical language, and complicated bureaucratic
processes affect health literacy.
3. Special consideration should be give to the conduct of health literacy assessments of persons with limited
proficiency in English.
4. Culturally based understanding of health and health care are very relevant to the conduct of functional health
literacy assessments. 
5. Systemic factors affect individuals' health literacy skills. 

Notice too the discussion in the IOM report, Health Literacy: a prescription to end confusion. The IOM report places a
good deal of emphasis on the demand side.  At the very start, the committee was clear about the limitations of the
definition in use. The then commonly used definition is given on page 2 but the very next sentence states: 
"However, health literacy goes beyond the individual obtaining information. Health literacy emerges when the
expectations, preferences, and skills of individuals seeking health information and services  meet the expectations,
preferences, and skills of those providing information and services. Health literacy arises from a convergence of
education, health services, and social and cultural factors....."

Both documents use a bit too much jargon. But... it seems clear to me that both are calling for a new definition.
Perhaps this discussion that you started, Andres, will result in a much better definition of our field of work!
warm regards, Rima