As health professionals, you care about health literacy. Health literacy is a large field. The research on health literacy covers a massive territory. So it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. A few weeks back, I wrote a short article on this. Here’s an infographic that’s even speedier. Here, I’m offering some loose groupings or […]
A quick breakdown of some health literacy basics
“When I say ‘health literacy,’ what does that mean to you?” I asked 4 physicians this question. I got 4 very different answers. And all of them were ‘right.’ As health professionals, you care about health literacy. I know this because when I’ve done in-person talks, nothing has drawn more attention and put more butts […]
Providers, your language may have more power than you realize (Revisited)
It seems each of us knows someone who has cancer, is in recovery from cancer, or has died from cancer. Near the start of this year, we ran an article (and later a podcast episode) called “Providers, your language may have more power than you realize.” That article begins with a recollection from a woman […]
How cell phones can help you with patients’ health literacy
A medical educator recently gave me some feedback from her students on a talk I’d given: “They thought you had many great points about communicating with patients, and liked the point you made about cell phones.” As a literacy researcher and educator, I have spent years talking with folks about health literacy. My emphasis is on […]
When it feels like a culture gap between you and your patient
I am continuously meeting providers who are seeking out new ways to connect meaningfully with patients. The practitioners I meet want to be able to speak clearly and convincingly to any patient. Even–and especially–when there are significant cultural differences. Some of them have told me they feel like a better doctor when they can share […]
From pee-pee, to pee, to urine: the work that words do in health
I was talking with a nurse educator about the uncertainty and difficulties nursing students can face as they learn the specialized language of medicine. She said, “Because this is a different language. It’s very difficult for a student to come in and talk ‘urination.’ They’re used to saying ‘pee.’ And yet their patients aren’t going […]
