This document discusses plain language tools and techniques for health literacy. It defines health literacy and outlines the need for plain language in healthcare due to low literacy rates. Best practices for healthcare providers are described, including using plain language, actively engaging patients, and ensuring understanding. Guidelines for plain language include using simple words and active voice. Resources for improving plain language skills are provided.
1. Plain Language: Tools and Techniques Peggy Sissel-Phelan, Ed.D. Best Practices Working Group Health Literacy Section Arkansas Public Health Association Annual Conference May 12, 2011
8. Health Literacy Definition ~ Health literacy is the use of a wide range of skills that improve the ability of people to act on information in order to live healthier lives. These skills include reading, writing, listening, speaking, numeracy, and critical analysis, as well as communication and interaction skills. Health literacy allows the public and personnel working in all health-related contexts to find, understand, evaluate, communicate, and use information. (Calgary Charter on Health Literacy, 2008)
22. Health Literacy Definition ~ Understanding + Actions = Outcomes Need ~ Widespread + Immediate Scope ~ The Public + The personnel in all health-related areas
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26. Healthcare providers have a duty to provide information in simple, clear, and plain language and to check that patients have understood the information before ending the conversation. The 2005 White House Conference on Aging; Mini-Conference on Health Literacy and Health Disparities.
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28. the goal - patients are better able to: - Locate - Form Questions - Understand - Act
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30. Provider should: - identify the audience - adapt to their needs and abilities - have clear communication objective. Shohet & Renaud Critical Analysis on Best Practices in Health Literacy CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Volume 97 (S2) pp. S10 - 13 2006
31. Plain Language PLAIN Active sentences Short paragraphs Mono or bi-syllable Colloquial language Present tense 2nd or 1st person (you, I) COMPLEX Passive sentences Long paragraphs Poly-syllable words Clinical language Past/mixed tense 3rd person (they, s/he)
32. Plain Language Health language/ Word Choice - No jargon and technical language - Use lay terms about health concepts - Terms clearly defined and explained - No abbreviations, acronyms and statistics
33. Plain Language It’ s Not Just Medical Terms . . . We are disseminating information about…. We are giving outinformation about… How do you administer the medication? How do you give the medicine? This product has an extensive list of symptoms that it treats… This medicine can help with many thingslike fever, or pain, etc….
38. All “covered documents” issued to public ~ Letters, publications, forms, notices, instructions ~ Anything relevant to federal benefits or requirements
40. Plain Language Skills Accompany Go with Spray Aerosol Biopsy Taking a small bit of tissue to test Clump of blood Blood clot By mouth Swallow it
41. Resources 1. Universal Precautions Tool Kit http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/literacy/healthliteracytoolkit.pdf 2. National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy http://www.health.gov/communication/hlactionplan/pdf/Health_Literacy_Action_Plan.pdf
44. Resources 6. Center for Health Care Strategies Health Literacy Fact Sheets http://www.chcs.org/publications3960/publications_show.htm?doc_id=291711 7. Institute for Healthcare Advancement www.iha4health.org Michael Villaire, MSLM Director, Programs and Operations mvillaire@iha4health.org (800) 434-4633 x202 8.American Medical Association Health Literacy Program and Kit www. ama-assn.org
45. Resources 9.Help Your Patients Understand.” Video Available from AMA Foundation http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8035.html 10. http://www. plainlanguage.gov
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