5 Resources to Promote Optimal Health Literacy

Finding, understanding, and using health information (health literacy) is essential to positive health outcomes and the ability to make healthy choices. Adequate health literacy can help prevent health complications and better manage them when they arise. Health literacy is an important aspect of people successfully navigating the health space and for communicators to effectively engage or educate their audiences.

Health literacy problems occur when we create and disseminate health-related information that is too difficult to understand, includes confusing directions, or uses unfamiliar language. It’s our job to ensure health information is communicated effectively and in an easily understandable manner. This can be done by:

• Building our skills as health communicators,
• Working with educators and organizations to build people’s health literacy knowledge, and
• Creating information that takes plain language, linguistic norms, and cultural, historical, and environmental factors into consideration. 

The following resources provide a foundation for incorporating health literacy best practices into public health communications:

1. CDC's Health Literacy Website

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

This website offers users tools to create a communication plan, resources to test communication effectiveness, research, guidelines, laws, and standards to follow. The website also lists several available training opportunities on health communication for specific topics and state-specific resources. Additionally, it includes the sign-up form for CDC’s Health Literacy Weekly e-newsletter.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/index.html

2. CDC's Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

This resource discusses the health inequities caused by generational injustices and perpetuated by systems or policies that do not promote health equity. It focuses on the importance of addressing economic, social, and historical factors or obstacles to improve health disparities. This guide also highlights the need to address individuals respectfully and inclusively for the best results.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Health_Equity.html

3. NIH's Clear Communication: Health Literacy Resource Pages

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

This resource provides insight into personal and organizational health literacy attributes and outlines research findings surrounding health literacy issues and their importance. It also provides information for communities, training/toolkits, cultural or language-specific information, and links to other valuable resources.
https://www.nih.gov/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/health-literacy

4. OASH's Health Literacy Resources Listing

U.S. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)

This resource listing provides links to trusted resources for health communication, health literacy, cultural competence, health information technology (IT), and usability. The featured resources include training, toolkits, and guides for users.
https://health.gov/our-work/national-health-initiatives/health-literacy/resources

5. PlainLanguage.gov

U.S. General Services Administration

This resource is not specific to health communication but does provide tools for developing communications that are easier for the public to read, understand, and use. It outlines the Plain Writing Act and provides guidelines, training, and examples for developing your own communications.
https://www.plainlanguage.gov

If you know of any others, please share them in the comments section.

By: Abigail Johnson