Plain Language A tool to improve health literacy

Plain Language: A tool to improve health literacy Brought to you by the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership

Outline • Scope of the problem • What is plain language? • Why is plain language important? • Elements of plain language • Consequences of not using plain language • Resources http: //www. nationalacademies. org/hmd/Reports/2004/Health-Literacy-A-Prescription-to-End-Confusion. aspx

Scope of the problem • Nearly half of all American adults (90 million people) have basic or below basic health literacy skills, leading to difficulty understanding and acting on health information • Cultural, language and communication barriers – together or alone – lead to misunderstandings between patients and their health care providers http: //www. nationalacademies. org/hmd/Reports/2004/Health-Literacy-A-Prescription-to-End-Confusion. aspx

What is plain language? • Plain language is: • A tool for improving health literacy • Communication your audience can understand the first time they hear or read it • Language that allows people to find what they need, understand what they find, and act appropriately on that understanding http: //www. plainlanguage. gov/whatis. PL/

What plain language is not Plain Language is NOT: • Dumbing it down or attempting to be folksy • Stripping out necessary medical, insurance or legal information • Imprecise https: //www. nih. gov/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/plain-language

Why use plain language? • Plain Writing Act of 2010: • Requires federal agencies to use “clear Government communication that the public can understand use” • Patients have the right to understand health care information that is necessary for them to safely care for themselves, and to choose among available alternatives. • Health care professionals 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. http: //www. plainlanguage. gov/pl. Law/index. cfm The 2005 White House Conference on Aging; Mini-Conference on Health Literacy and Health Disparities http: //www. ihs. org/documents/literacy/Iowa%20 Health%20 System%20 Health%20 Literacy%2009. pdf https: //www. hhs. gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/guidance/informed-consent/index. html#

Plain language also • Makes your message stand out • Improves communication • Shows patient focus • Eliminates barriers • Improves patient safety • Reduces time spent explaining • Improves compliance https: //www. nih. gov/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/plainlanguage https: //www. cdc. gov/healthliteracy/developmaterials/plainlanguage. html

Elements of plain language Common words: • Use simple, easy-to-understand words. • Try not to use medical or insurance jargon. • Define medical and insurance terminology. Keep it short: • Stick to 1 -3 ideas. • Remove words you don’t need. • Use short sentences. Active voice: • Identify who is doing what. • Keep the subject up front. https: //www. nih. gov/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/plain-language https: //www. cdc. gov/healthliteracy/developmaterials/plainlanguage. html https: //www. archives. gov/open/plain-writing/10 -principles. html http: //www. coveringkidsandfamilies. org/resources/docs/stylemanual. pdf

Elements of plain language continued… • Positive tone: • Write and speak in a friendly tone. • Think about what can be done, not what can’t. • Logical organization: • Put the most important points first. • Break down complex information into understandable pieces. • Easy-to-read design features: • Use bullet points, headings, subheadings, pictures and tables. https: //www. nih. gov/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/clear-communication/plain-language https: //www. cdc. gov/healthliteracy/developmaterials/plainlanguage. html https: //www. archives. gov/open/plain-writing/10 -principles. html http: //www. coveringkidsandfamilies. org/resources/docs/stylemanual. pdf

Consequences of not using plain language • Poor health outcomes • Higher health care costs • Consumer misunderstanding • Less adherence to treatment plans and how to take medicine • Trouble accessing and using health care services and insurance benefits • Frustration when interacting with health and insurance professionals • Difficulty managing chronic conditions and health http: //www. nationalacademies. org/hmd/Reports/2004/Health-Literacy-A-Prescription-to-End-Confusion. aspx AMA Foundation, Help patients understand, a manual for clinicians. http: //www. med. fsu. edu/user. Files/file/ahec_health_clinicians_manual. pdf

Consequences of not using plain language continued… • Unnecessary support calls caused by unclear instructions • Poorly filled out or incomplete forms and applications • Health messages that fail to motivate and engage consumers in healthy behaviors and preventive care • Unclear memos and letters that require endless clarification • Litigation http: //www. nationalacademies. org/hmd/Reports/2004/Health-Literacy-A-Prescription-to-End-Confusion. aspx AMA Foundation, Help patients understand, a manual for clinicians. http: //www. med. fsu. edu/user. Files/file/ahec_health_clinicians_manual. pdf

Take the #Plain. Pledge® How to take the Plain Pledge 1. Write down a health-related word that you promise to stop using or better explain. 2. Take a photo of yourself with the pledge sign. 3. Share the photo on social media with the hashtag #Plain. Pledge @UAMS_CHL and tag us @MNHealth. Lit #Plain. Pledge® is a registered trademark of the UAMS Center for Health Literacy

Together we can make a difference! Goals: • Train health care providers • Empower patients • Share resources Mission: Working together to improve the health of all Minnesotans through clear communication Minnesota Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy (2016) Website: http: //healthliteracymn. org/

Additional resources • Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership • NIH plain language training • Plainlanguage. gov • Federal plain language guidelines • Center for Plain Language • CDC Plain Language Thesaurus for Health Communications • Making HIPAA Privacy Notices More Readable Acknowledgements: Lau. Ren Gaines, MPH |University of Minnesota School of Public Health | Intern, Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership (provided through the Community Health Initiative | University of Minnesota | diversity. umn. edu/bced/chi ) Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership members & Alisha Odhiambo, MA, LMFT | Chair, MN Health Literacy Partnership