Health Literacy Resources
Books
Doak, C. C., Doak, L. G. & Root, J. H. (1996). Teaching patients with low literacy skills (2 nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott Company.
This book is for health educators and health care providers who wish improve communication with adults who have limited literacy skills. The book covers a wide range of topics, including education and behavior theories, testing literacy skills of patient, assessing suitability of written materials, and writing the clear messages. The book includes directions for using the Fry formula, a copy of the REALM and a copy of the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM).
Nielsen-Bohlman, N, Panzer, AM & Kindig, DA. (2004). Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion . Institute of Medicine (IOM). National Academy Press.
This book examines the body of knowledge that applies to the field of health literacy, and recommends actions to promote a health literate society. The book defines and categorizes most of what we know and do not know about health literacy, about obstacles to creating a health-literate public, and about approaches that have been attempted to increase health literacy.
Report brief. Health literacy: A Prescription to end confusion (http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3775/3827/19723/19726.aspx)
Osborne, H. (2004). Health Literacy From A To Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health . Jones & Bartlett, Jones & Bartlett; Sudbury , MA
This book is an easy to use handbook designed for the health professional. Filled with ideas and strategies that can be used in everyday practice, Health Literacy from A to Z covers a broad scope of topics, from "plain language" and document formatting to e-mail communication, Web site design, and touch-screen technology. It also covers difficult topics such as shared decision making, risk communication, and dealing with barriers such as blindness or hearing difficulties.
Web-based Documents
Clear and simple: Developing effective print materials for low-literate readers (1994). National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. (www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinformation/clearandsimple)
The National Cancer Institute has developed this guide, outlining a process for developing publications for people with limited-literacy skills. It includes five standard steps in developing print materials: defining the target audience, conducting target audience research, developing a concept for the product, developing content and visuals, pre-testing and revising draft materials.
Clear and to the point: Guidelines for using plain language at NIH (2003). National Institutes for Health. (http://execsec.od.nih.gov/plainlang/guidelines/index.html)
This summary provides guidelines and useful examples of how to write in plain language, engage readers, display information and evaluate materials.
Making your Web site senior friendly: A checklist for recommended guidelines on creating web sites for older adults (2002).U. S. National Institute of Aging and the U. S. National Library of Medicine. (www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/checklist.pdf)
This checklist provides research based guidelines for web site design that, when implemented, will make website more accessible to all adults
Pink book-Making health communication programs work. (2006). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health and Office of Cancer Communications, National Cancer Institute. (http://www.cancer.gov/pinkbook/page1)
This book is a revision of the original Making Health Communication Programs Work, first printed in 1989, which the Office of Cancer Communications (OCC, now the Office of Communications) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) developed to guide communication program planning. It offers practical steps for evaluation of communication programs. Appendices include the SMOG formula, a focus group moderator’s guide and helpful resources on designing a PSA.
Web Sites
American Medical Association Foundation Health Literacy (http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8115.html)
The AMA Foundation sponsors a health literacy campaign, in recognition that limited patient literacy affects medical diagnosis and treatment. The AMA Foundation has been working to raise awareness of health literacy within the health care community. An overview of the problem, news, literacy kit, and tips on how to become involved are included at the site.
Center for Health Care Strategies Health Literacy Resources (http://www.chcs.org/resource/hl.html)
This offers a set of fact sheets (http://www.chcs.org/publications3960/publications_show.htm?doc_id=291711) on different aspects of health literacy topics, as well as a bibliography containing more than 200 references used to prepare those fact sheets. These were funded by The Commonwealth Fund and Pfizer, Inc. It includes:
- What is health literacy?
- Who has health literacy problems?
- Impact of Low Health literacy Skills on Annual Health Care Expenditures
- Health literacy and Understanding Medical Information
- Strategies to Assist Low-Literate Health Care Consumers
- Preparing Patient Education Materials
- Tools to Evaluate Patient Education Materials
- Health Communication and Cultural Diversity
Harvard School of Public Health Literacy Studies (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/index.html)
This site is a research program of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (http://www.ncsall.net/). It is designed for professionals in health and education who are interested in health literacy. It contains health literacy overview, literature reviews, how to create and assess print materials, health literacy curricula, and links to web sites related to health and literacy.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health
Literacy(http://www.hrsa.gov/quality/healthlit.htm)
HRSA's health literacy activities assist the Agency in accomplishing its mission: to improve and expand access to quality health care for all. HRSA's health care delivery sites, along with training and education programs, work to reach out to those with low health literacy skills to improve their quality of life.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) (http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3775/3827.aspx)
IOM published a study, Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, in 2004 that reviewed the current state of understanding regarding health literacy and recommended actions to create a more health literate society. IOM has created a Web site to provide updates and links relating to health literacy.
The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) (http://nces.ed.gov/naal/)
The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy is a nationally representative assessment of English literacy among American adults age 16 and older. Sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NAAL is the nation’s most comprehensive measure of adult literacy since the1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS).
Partnership for Clear Health Communication (www.askme3.org/PFCHC/about.asp)
This is a significant recent effort by a number of public health organizations, with sponsorship from Pfizer, to highlight the effect of low health literacy on health outcomes. The participating organizations include the American Medical Association Foundation, American Nurses Association, American Pharmacists Association, American Public Health Association, National Medical Association, and the National Council on the Aging).
The Partnership for Clear Health Communication provides a variety of tools for providers and patients, including: printable brochures about the Ask Me 3 program for providers, patients, and organizations (www.askme3.org/pdfs.asp), a presentation tool kit that includes a presentation targeted at health professionals (www.askme3.org/PFCHC/professional_presentation.ppt) and another for patients (www.askme3.org/PFCHC/patient_presentation.ppt), literacy referral guidelines, and "Words to Watch" fact sheet.
Pfizer Clear Health Communication Initiative (http://www.clearhealthcommunication.org/index.html)
This includes a Patient Education Handbook (www.pfizerhealthliteracy.com/improving.html) that can be downloaded in Adobe PDF format. Chapters include information on the health literacy problem, understanding reading skills, principles for clear health communication, using readability formulas, words to watch, and a planning guide.
The Plain Language Initiative (http://www.plainlanguage.gov/)
This government web site offers information on the United States government’s Plain Language initiative through examples, guidelines for content and layout in documents, online tutorials, and numerous resources including links to writing tools and winners of the “Worst manual content”. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) sponsor this site.
Online Videos
AMA Foundation’s Health Literacy Video (http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8035.html)
Included as part of its Health Literacy Kits, the AMA Foundation created 20-minute informational and instructional videos with case studies. The 2001 video, "Low Health Literacy: You Can't Tell By Looking," features actual physicians and office staff interacting with real patients challenged by low health literacy. The 2003 video, "Health Literacy: Help Your Patients Understand," gives more detailed techniques and specific steps for physicians and their staff on helping patients with limited health literacy.
In Plain Language—Rima Rudd (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/overview.html#Two)
In Plain Language was produced by Dr. Rima Rudd and Dr. William DeJong, with a team of Health Literacy Studies professionals and researchers. This 15-minute video/DVD was developed for medical and public health professionals who are interested in learning about adult literacy in the US and implications for medicine and for public health.