I have discovered that many of the publications offered from the New York State Health Department and the Office of Children and Family Services are not written at the level of so many of the parents of children.
Would Mr. & Mrs. Doak and Dr. Houts be available to make recommendations (consult) to State agencies if requested? It is easy for forms to be outdated but also just as easy for publications, brochures and pamphlets to be originally written at college level with the target population at fifth grade literacy level. The state has been successful in offering written culturally sensitive material but has not addressed the literacy problem.
As of this morning, it was announced via radio that our outgoing governor has arranged for many publications to be printed with his name and/or picture. Due to the cost I am sure we will have to use these before more can be made. Any ideas on what can be done?

-----Original Message-----
From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Julie McKinney
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 8:51 AM
To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 539] Welcome to our discussion: Using Pictures
inHealth Ed.


Hello Everyone,

Welcome to our discussion about using pictures in health education for low literacy populations! We have with us Len and Ceci Doak and Dr. Peter Houts, who have studied this topic extensively, and recently published a comprehensive review of related research. Please see below for more information about their experience and this research review.

During this week they will present some of their findings in studying the use of pictures in health education and communication with low literacy populations, and they will also try to address your questions. Please keep in mind that this is not a "live" discussion: the timing of responses will depend on when the speakers and subscribers have a chance to compose their messages, and when the moderator can send them through to the list. We do not expect anyone to be sitting at their computer at every moment, so please be patient if responses do not come immediately. Also, please keep in mind that Len and Ceci are on the west coast, so there is also a time difference!

I am so pleased to have Len, Ceci and Peter addressing this important issue with us all, and I very much look forward to your particpation this this discussion!

All the best,

Julie


About our guest speakers:
*************************************
Cecilia Conrath Doak, M.P.H.
 
During her 24 year career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health service she developed and led health education programs in diabetes, the Pap smear, smoking and cancer, and others.  She received the Surgeon General's Commendation Medal for her work in cancer education for the public. She retired as director of continuing education for physicians and allied health personnel.
 
 Her second career is with Patient Learning Associates in health literacy. Together with husband Len Doak, she has presented over 200 one and two day workshops and trained more than 11,000 doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. She is the lead author of the award winning book, "Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills."  
 
 As a volunteer tutor, she worked for five years in the inner city Washington, DC, and was for 2 years a volunteer teacher of adults aspiring to a GED. She served for several months as a consultant and team leader in East and West Africa on public health and malaria projects.
 
Leonard G. Doak, BSEE, PE
 
Leonard comes to health education via adult-education, after serving 14 years as a volunteer literacy tutor of adults.   He is a former national president of Literacy Volunteers of America Inc.  His engineering career includes simplifying instructions for Navy crews on ships and submarines, as well as engineering project management. He was also the manager of marketing for an aerospace firm.
 
Together with Ceci Doak, he has analyzed the suitability of over 2,000 health care  instructions in all media, and is co-author of both editions of their book and a number of journal papers on health literacy.  In 1978 he was cofounder of not-for-profit Patient Learning Associates Inc. with a mission to help train the health care community to make their messages to patients easier to understand and more motivating.

Peter Houts, PhD

Peter Houts, PhD, is a social psychologist who has conducted research on how patients cope with illness for over 25 years.  He has developed and evaluated innovative interventions to help patients and their family caregivers cope with illness. He has also directed surveys of cancer patients’ problems and unmet needs. Beginning in 1989 he collaborated with Drs. Arthur and Christine Nezu in adapting problem-solving therapy for depression to address the needs of cancer patients and their families.  This led to his editing Home Care Guides for Cancer, HIV/AIDS, and for Care of Elderly People at Home which support problem-solving by patients and their families.  Dr. Houts also developed the psycho-educational COPE Model which is widely used in applying problem-solving to coping with illness. Recently he has collaborated with Len and Cedi Doak in studying the usedical communication to people with low literacy skills. Dr. Houts has published over 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has authored or edited eight books and serves on the editorial board of two journals concerned with psychosocial issues in patient care.  He is currently a retired professor from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine and continues to consult with research projects applying problem-solving education and counseling to health care and utilizing pictures in health communication.

***********************************************

Recommended reading: 

Book (available online):

Teaching Patients With Low Literacy Skills
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/doak.html 

Journal Article:

Houts, PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, Loscalzo, MJ. "The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on
attention, comprehension, recall and adherence" Patient Education and Counseling, 61 (2006) 173-190
 
This is a peer reviewed article assessing the effects of pictures on health communications. The article presents summarized findings from reviews of more than 500 journal articles and other publications on this subject. Unfortunately, it is not available online but can be found in the journal. The results of this article will be shared during the discussion. 

********************************************* 


Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org

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