Let me help you communicate clearly!
What is Health Literacy?
Health literacy is about being literate within a health context.
Health literacy as it applies to individuals is about being able to use the health information you are given. No matter what your literacy level is, you can have trouble understanding something when you are not familiar with the language or concepts used.
Health-related organizations, systems and professionals have a responsibility to provide information that people can easily access, understand, evaluate and communicate. Health professionals need to communicate in clear, plain language, both when speaking and writing.
Plain Language – Plain English – Clear Language – Clear Communication
Whatever you call it, it’s important to communicate clearly. Try not to assume too much or make your audience work hard to understand you.
At the same time, clear communication is not about dumbing down. Communicating clearly is about respecting who you are communicating to—paying attention to your audience’s language, literacy, culture, and what they might already know while focussing on what you want them to understand.
As a staff nurse and educator in emergency departments I have witnessed (and caused) return emergency visits as a result of unclear spoken and written information from health professionals.
My goal is to improve patient safety and enhance person-centred care by helping health care providers communicate clearly.
Let me help you be a health literate business or organization.
email:Â carol(at)carolwilson(dot)ca
Want to know more about health literacy? Check out the Health Literacy Connection.
There are a number of definitions of health literacy. I use the one from BC Ministry of Education.
“Health literacy is the ability to access, understand, evaluate and communicate information as a way to promote, maintain and improve health in a variety of settings across a lifetime.â€
October 14, 2012
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Tags: clear communication, clear design, clear language, cultural competence, cultural sensitivity, culture, health literacy, health literacy audit, health professional, plain english, plain language, plain words, readability · Posted in: Uncategorized