Health Literacy
IHC, in cooperation with health care providers across the state, has developed the following Health Literacy Toolkit. The toolkit is a compilation of resources to support the understanding of Health Literacy and the importance of improved health communication.
We would like to thank those individuals and organizations who have shared their materials and who have agreed to serve as mentors. Please contact IHC if your organization would like to contribute materials to this toolkit.
Case for Change
Project Description
Tool Kit
The Case for Health Literacy
- AARP: Adequate Literacy and Health Literacy: Prerequisites for Informed Health Care Decision Making. (WEBSITE)
- Harvard School of Public Health, Health Literacy Studies: information, including plain-language materials. (WEBSITE)
- Healthy People 2010 – Health Communication Information and Materials (WEBSITE)
- The Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA) - offers an annual health literacy conference, a health literacy curriculum, a series of self-care books for low-lit patients, etc. (WEBSITE)
- Journal of Health Communication. Informative publication on the topic. (WEBSITE)
- Journal of Health Communication, International Perspectives. Informative publication on the topic. (WEBSITE)
- LINCS Health & Literacy Special Collection. Information, materials, and activities. (WEBSITE)
- National Cancer Institute: Pink Book – Making Health Communication Programs Work. (WEBSITE)
- Pfizer Health Literacy Toolkit (WEBSITE)
Pfizer Principles for Clear Health Communication (PDF 860KB)
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Health Communication Activities. (WEBSITE)
Pfizer Principles for Clear Health Communication (PDF 860KB)
Creating a Shame-Free Environment
Patient Involvement
- Ask Me 3 brochures (patient, provider, organization), poster, fact sheet, presentation. (WEBSITE)
- Harvard School of Public Health, Health Literacy Studies. Information, including plain-language materials. (WEBSITE)
- LINCS Health & Literacy Special Collection. Information, materials, and activities. (WEBSITE)
Culturally Effective Care
- America’s Health Insurance Plans, Diversity and Cultural Competency Resources. (WEBSITE)
- Commonwealth Fund: Cultural Competence in Health Care Report. (WEBSITE)
- Hablamos Juntos: Language Policy and Practice in Health Care - Universal Health Care Symbols, Developing Health-Related Materials in Spanish. (WEBSITE)
- Harvard School of Public Health, Health Literacy Studies. Information, including plain-language materials. (WEBSITE)
- Healthy Roads Media – Free Health Education materials in a variety of languages and formats. (WEBSITE)
- LINCS Health & Literacy Special Collection. Information, materials, and activities. (WEBSITE)
- National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality. Improving Cultural Competency in Children’s Health Care. (PDF 3.5MB)
Skills and Techniques
- AMA Health Literacy Toolkit: Manual for Clinicians (PDF 290KB)
Video for Clinicians (WEBSITE)
- American College of Physicians, Health Literacy Video (WEBSITE)
- Ask Me 3 brochures (patient, provider, organization), poster, fact sheet, presentation. (WEBSITE)
- Center for Medicare Education: Writing Easy-to-Read Materials (PDF 147KB)
- Covering Kids and Families, Health Literacy Style Manual 2005 (PDF 3.7MB)
- Guidelines for using plain language at the National Institutes for Health (WEBSITE)
- Harvard School of Public Health, Health Literacy Studies. Information, including plain-language materials (WEBSITE)
- Healthy Roads Media – Free Health Education materials in a variety of languages and formats (WEBSITE)
- The Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA) - offers an annual health literacy conference, a health literacy curriculum, a series of self-care books for low-lit patients, etc. (WEBSITE)
- LINCS Health & Literacy Special Collection. Information, materials, and activities. (WEBSITE)
- Lay Terms for Medical Terminology (PDF 43KB)
- National Cancer Institute: Pink Book – Making Health Communication Programs Work. Implementing and improved health communication program. (WEBSITE)
- National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health: How to Write Easy-to-Read Health Materials. (WEBSITE)
- National Quality Forum. Improving Informed Consent for Patients with Limited Health Literacy. (WEBSITE)
- Pfizer Health Literacy Toolkit (WEBSITE)
Pfizer Principles for Clear Health Communication (PDF 860KB)
- Social Psychology Network. Tips on informed consent. (WEBSITE)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. Information and resources on Health Literacy. (WEBSITE)
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Health Communication Activities. (WEBSITE)
Video for Clinicians (WEBSITE)
Pfizer Principles for Clear Health Communication (PDF 860KB)
Assessment Tools
Resources
Articles
- "Adequate Literacy and Health Literacy: Prerequisites for Informed Health Care Decision Making: A Research Report." Dubow J. AARP Public Policy Institute, June 2004. (WEBSITE)
- "An Overview of Medical and Public Health Literature Addressing Literacy Issues: An Annotated Bibliography." Rudd RE, et al. NCSALL Reports #14, January 2000. (WEBSITE)
- "Communicating Health: Priorities and Strategies for Progress." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, July 2003. (WEBSITE)
- "Eradicating Low Health Literacy: The First Public Health Movement of the 21st Century." Pfizer White Paper, 2003. (PDF 112KB)
- "Health and Literacy Working Together: A Health Literacy Conference for New Readers & Health Professionals." Helen Osborne, Post-conference September 10-11, 2004, Des Moines, IA. (PDF 207KB)
- "Health Literacy: Addressing the Health and Education Divide" Kickbusch IS. Health Promot Int. 2001 Sep; 16(3):289-297. (WEBSITE)
- "Health Literacy: A Policy Challenge for Advancing High-Quality Health Care." Parker RM, et al. Health Affairs, 2003; 22: 147-153. (WEBSITE)
- "Health Literacy: An Ethical Responsibility." Mayer GG & Villaire M. Healthcare Executive, August 31, 2005; 18(4): 50. (WEBSITE)
- "Health Literacy: Communication for the Public Good." Ratzan SC. Health Promot Int. 2001 Jun; 16(2):207-214. (WEBSITE)
- "Informed consent forms for clinical and research imaging procedures: how much do patients understand?" Hopper KD, et al. American Journal of Roentgenology, February 1995; 164(2) 493-6. (WEBSITE)
- "Low Health Literacy: What Do Your Patients Really Understand?" Joanne G. Schwartzberg. Nursing Economics, May 1, 2002; 20(3): 145. (WEBSITE/PDF)
- "Promising Practices for Patient-Centered Communication with Vulnerable Populations: Examples from Eight Hospitals." Wynia M & Matiasek J. American Medical Association Institute for Ethics. 2006. (PDF 334KB)
- "Quick Assessment of Literacy in Primary Care: The Newest Vital Sign." Weiss BD, et al. Annals of Family Medicine, 2005; 3: 514-522. (WEBSITE)
- "Readability standards for informed-consent forms as compared with actual readability." Paasche-Orlow MK, et al. New England Journal of Medicine, February 20, 2003; 348(8): 721-6. (WEBSITE)
- "Relationship of Functional Health Literacy to Patients’ Knowledge of Their Chronic Disease: A Study of Patients with Hypertension or Diabetes." Williams M, et al. Archives of Internal Medicine, 1998; 158: 166-172. (WEBSITE)
Books
- Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion. Nielsen-Bohlman L, et al. (eds). National Academies Press, 2004. (WEBSITE)
- Advancing Health Literacy: A Framework for Understanding and Action. Zarcadoolas C, et al. Jossey-Bass, 2006. (WEBSITE)
- Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health. Osborne, H. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 2004. (WEBSITE)
- Understanding Health Literacy: Implications for Medicine and Public Health. Schwartzberg JG, et al. (eds). American Medical Association, 2004. (WEBSITE)
- Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills. Doak CC, et al. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1996. (WEBSITE)
Consultants
Websites