Objective To explore the role of multidimensional interventions for health literacy in alleviating psychological stress, improving treatment adherence, enhancing medical care experiences, and promoting doctor-patient communication among inpatients with malignant tumors. Methods From February 2022 to October 2022, 500 inpatients with malignant tumors were selected from Hunan Tumor Hospital. They were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Among them, 209 patients had comorbid depressive mood, and 107 patients had comorbid anxiety mood. Depressed and anxious patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group separately. The control group received routine anti-cancer treatment, while the observation group received routine anti-cancer treatment plus a 3-month ‘health literacy’ intervention. This intervention involved an innovative knowledge service provided by a health literacy enhancement service team composed of multi-disciplinary experts, aimed at improving the patients’ health literacy. Evaluate the level of health knowledge needs among inpatients with tumors and compare the HAMD and SAS scale scores before and after intervention between the two groups of patients. Results 97% of patients have needs in terms of health literacy. After 3 months of health literacy intervention, the depression score of cancer patients with depressive mood was (22.12±1.35) points, significantly lower than before intervention (28.03±2.15); after 3 months of health literacy intervention, the anxiety score of cancer patients with anxiety was (52.31±2.15) points, significantly lower than before intervention (58.76±2.36). Through health literacy services, the health literacy knowledge of inpatients has significantly improved, their understanding of diseases has been enhanced, depressive and anxious emotions have improved, and their acceptance of clinical treatment has become higher. Conclusion Providing patients with electronic literature databases, conducting reading therapy, opening patient salons, and hosting health lectures can effectively improve the health literacy of hospitalized cancer patients in multiple dimensions, alleviate psychological stress, and improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.